The Fear of Rejection
by Michaelover101
Summary: When Rory's marriage fails theres only one person whos there to lift her back up. PDLD.
1. Damn Eyes

**_Title:_** The Fear of Rejection

**_Author:_** Michaelover101

**_Rating:_** M

**_Summary: _**When Rory's marriage fails theres only one person whos there to lift her back up. PDLD.

**_Disclaimer: _**Sadly... not mine. Damn!

**_Notes: _**Okay, this is my first PDLD. I just had a gut feeling that this would be a better pairing than Tristan or Logan. I'm still a fan of both, but I've always wanted to write about Finn and Rory and this one felt like it would fit. Also I'm telling you all now that Rory is very timid and very naive at this point of the story. So please deal with me here. It's all part of the story. Hope you like it!

_**Part 1: Damn Eyes**_

"I," Stephanie Merdock announced as she walked into the apartment of her childhood friends, "want to go shopping!" She plopped herself down on the couch next to Colin Bradshaw who was reading the paper and Finn Rothschild who was watching cartoons. Logan Huntzberger came out of the kitchen with a coffee mug and sat down at the chair next to them.

"Then go." Colin said changing the page.

"I don't want to go alone." She whined. Colin rolled his eyes while Finn and Logan smirked.

"In other words, her credit cards are M-A-X-E-D, " Finn spelled out in a whisper to Logan who laughed.

"And she wants us to P-A-Y." Colin finished.

"More like they got cancelled by D-A-D-D-Y." She said leaning back and propping her feet on the glass coffee table in front of her. "I swear the one time he takes interest in my pretty little self is when I'm spending too much of his precious money. He doesn't even glance at Lola's bill." She said referring to her twenty-something stepmother.

"So, then use cash." Logan said.

"No fun." She argued.

"Oh, well then." Colin replied with a roll of his eyes. He changed the page again. Stephanie sighed.

"We've got plans, Steph." Logan said.

"What, going to the pub? Come on. What's better, getting drunk off your asses and coming home with an unknown blonde or shopping with your best friend? Come on, I'll buy you three lunch."

"Sorry, love, the unknown blonde sounds better. Though I wouldn't object to a redhead." Finn said kissing her cheek. "Nothing is going to change our plans." Stephanie smirked.

"Really?" She asked. "Nothing, huh?" She turned to Colin who was still reading the paper. Logan and Finn's eyes widened. Crap.

Stephanie shifted on the couch and placed her hand on Colin's leg. Ever since Colin had drunkenly admitted he had feelings for her she had exploited them ever since knowing very well that by pushing the right buttons Colin would give in.

Colin looked down quickly at her hand as it inched its way upwards. He gulped and turned back to the News. _Two kids whacked an old guy with a skateboard. Tragic._ **_(A.N. Do Not Laugh! That did happen here!)_**. _The twelve and thirteen year old stole his car and his hand... _wait, no, not hand, his cash Shit.

"Colin, wouldn't you like to go shopping with me?" Logan and Finn shook their heads frantically. Knowing Steph, she'd drag them from shop to shop and make them hold her purse and bags. And if Colin went, that meant Finn and Logan went. Damn Friend Rulebook. Never leave a man behind (Especially when shopping with a woman). Page 55, paragraph C, line 10.

Her hand was on his thigh now, her thumb making small circles on the inside. He looked into her green eyes that were as clear as a pop bottle. They hypnotized him and he slowly nodded. Then trance was broken when she leaped to her feet removing her hand and he heard Logan and Finn groan.

"I'll give you three," she looked at her watch, "half an hour to get ready. We are going to have so much fun!" She said clapping her hands together happily and walking towards the kitchen for a water. The guys stood up and went to their room down the hall to get ready for a day of pure hell. Logan shoved Colin against the wall.

"What the hell was that for!" Colin asked rubbing his head which had made contact upon being shoved.

"You are whipped." Logan said. Colin glared.

"I can't be whipped when we aren't in a relationship! And you saw where her hand was!"

"You caved. You could've just removed her hand and not make eye contact." Logan said going into his room. Colin sighed.

"Right," he muttered to himself, "eye contact. Always forget about that one. I'll remember that next time." Finn sighed and patted his back.

"That's what you said last time too, mate." Colin frowned then remembered that Stephanie had wanted to go out to eat at some French place instead of the pub. He had caved.

"Damn eyes." He muttered going into his room. Finn laughed and went to his own room.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

Rory was bored. That much was very obvious. She was sitting behind the white counter putting the finishing touches to her Psychology paper. No one had come in in the past hour. The fact that the only people that lived around here were college kids that were also working their way through college or the regulars that came in once a month and got their usual orders. Lilly's was a very expensive boutique that only had the latest in fashion. She had been very lucky to get a job. Thankfully her grandmother's friend owned the shop and with a few good words she had gotten the job.

The boutique was all white. White walls, white marble floors, white counters. The clothes that were on display were all different colors. Then in the back were the private dressing rooms where the costumers were able get their private preview of the latest clothes. From where she sat she could look out the window and see the people pass by or envy the people across the street with their scones and coffee.

Six months and she loved it. She had met so many people in this job that she rarely had time to sit. But on the rare occasions that there was a lull in customers she would finish things for her classes. Most of the time she would wished for these kinds of lulls, but today she wished for contact. It was weird how that worked.

The bell over the door rang. Rory looked up and saw a blonde run in.

"You're late." Rory announced. Julie glared at her as she stopped at the counter.

"You don't want to hear why."

"You're crazy, of course I do." Julie laughed.

"Okay, well, I was running from my Bio class. And Franklin, the conniving bitch, told me to stay after class and so I did out of politeness of course."

"Of course." Rory agreed smiling. Julie was one of the girls she got along best with. The craziest things happened to her, always making Rory laugh and reminding her of home.

"So the bitch tells me that I didn't pass my last test and that since I'm at Yale on a scholarship that I have to pass the next test or drop the class. So I run out in order to get my usual caffeine fix when this bastard just runs into me."

"You sure you didn't run into him?" Rory asked with a teasing voice.

"No, he ran into me. It's like the deer and your car." Rory smiled. Julie and her mother were the only ones that believed her when she said the deer ran into her. "Anyway. We got to talking and we're going out on Friday." Rory rolled her eyes. "Then I ran here. Told you you wouldn't want to hear it."

"What's his name?"

"Daniel."

"Sounds nice."

"He seems nice. Not really in the I-love-him-marry-me kind of way, but one night won't be too bad."

"Right." Julie smiled, then looked at Rory. She seemed tired.

"Hey, you okay?"

"Fine, why?"

"Not sure. Look tired."

"Haven't been sleeping well is all."

"Are you guys okay?"

"Of course we are. Why would you think otherwise?"

"I don't know. Things with you guys seemed strained these past few months and after the wedding." Jules shrugged

"Well, with us living in two completely different towns and me only going down there on weekends it's tough."

"Four years of dating. Three years of engagement. A month of marriage. And no sex."

"And he accepts it." Rory said with a laugh. "We're fine. Now go get dressed, I see some people eyeing the store." Julie nodded and ran towards the back just as a group of three guys and a girl walked in.

"I swear, last store and we're done." The blonde girl said with a smile. Rory had to smile, these guys were nowhere near done following her around.

"Come on, Steph. We're hungry and tired and pub is right there calling our names and if I have to hear 'does this make me look fat' one more time I'm going to take Finn and throw him out a window," a brown haired guy said. Rory looked down at her laptop with a smile

"Promise me that when you do, you'll take him to the emergency room. Don't just leave him there." She started going through the clothes and sighed.

"You guys wouldn't have a private room, would you?" Rory looked up and nodded.

"Yes, we do." She said with a smile. "Follow me." She stood up and brushed the imaginary dust of her black pants and walked towards the back, her black high-heeled boots making clicking sounds on the floor. She turned back and saw that the girl was the only one following, the guys hung back. She saw a woman about to come in. "I suggest you three come with me as well. One of our regulars is coming in and I have it on good authority that she's a pincher." The guys looked at each other and started towards her. She directed them to a room and followed behind.

"Jules!"

"Coming, coming." Julie said hopping out of one of the rooms, one foot in the air while she strapped on her heel. She was wearing the same as Rory. Black flowing pants, white shirt that had 3/4 sleeves and buttoned down, the top three buttons undone showing a bit of their cleavage and a black sleeveless sweater vest. The only difference was their shoes, Rory in spiky heeled leather boots and Julie in strappy heels. And their hair, Rory's swept up in an elegant twist and Julie's loose and curly.

"Mrs. Richards." Julie groaned.

"Come on. It's your turn to deal with her." Rory said as she walked backwards to the room.

"You have got to be kidding. My cheek was red for a month when I dealt with her last." She opened the door and Julie groaned and started walking towards the door.

"I hate you!" She called over her shoulder.

"Love you too, Jules!" Rory tossed back. She smiled at the group. "You guys thirsty? I can get you guys something to drink."

"Water." One of them said. They all nodded in agreement. Rory nodded.

"Okay. I'm Rory by the way."

"Stephanie." The girl said. "And my friends. Logan," she pointed to the blonde with brown eyes. Rory smiled and nodded her head in acknowledgement. "Colin." Brown hair, brown eyes. "And Finn." Tousled brown hair and hazel eyes. He winked at her and Rory smiled. They all wore jeans except for Colin who was in khakis and a polo shirt.

"Nice to meet you. Now what kind of clothes were you thinking?"

"Whatever is in season. And very expensive." A collective groan was heard from the three guys. Rory assumed that they were the ones paying for this shopping spree.

"I'll see what I can do. Sit tight, be right back." Rory walked out again just as Julie walked in and they started towards the back.

"I really hate you." Julie said as she grabbed the order bags and walked out. Rory smiled and grabbed four waters and she grabbed the rack of clothing and wheeled it out to the room. She went back to the dressing room. It was a large room with a couch in the corner and two tables at either end and a window next to it. There was a curtain falling on one whole wall and a mirror next to the window. There were pieces of art hanging on two of the walls. The carpet was a plush red, the couch matched. The walls were an off-white and the tables were black with a glass cover. She pushed in the clothes and put them against the wall.

"Pick what you want. Try on whatever and if you don't find your size I'll get Julie to find it for you." Stephanie nodded and started going through the clothes. Rory handed the bottles of water to the guys and sat on the arm of the couch.

"So when did you get married?" Stephanie asked looking through the clothes. Rory frowned.

"Excuse me?"

"Your ring? It's beautiful." Rory looked down at her ring. It was a simple gold band with a small diamond in the center. Simple and uncomplicated. Like Dean.

"A month ago." Rory responded.

"You seem too young to be married." Stephanie said.

"How old are you, love?" She turned to the one named Finn and smiled. She traced an Australian accent on him. Accents always got the best of her mother and her. It's what started their Bridget Jones obsession. Or more importantly, their love for Hugh Grant. Her mother always said that if Luke had had an accent of some sort it would have made her attraction to him much more noticeable.

"Twenty two."

"Wow, you are young." Colin said. Rory shrugged.

"Let me guess, high school sweet heart?" Stephanie asked. Rory smiled.

"Yeah." There was a knock at the door and Julie walked in holding the phone. "Hey Jules."

"Hey. For you."

"If it's my mom, tell her I'll call her later."

"It's not your mom. It's Dean." Rory frowned.

"Excuse me." Rory grabbed the phone and walked out of the room. They could hear the snippets of conversations. "Hello?"

"Hey."

"Hey."

"Are you coming home tonight?" Rory sighed.

"Dean."

"Rory, do you even remember that we're married?"

"Of course I do! The fact that you remind me about it every single day when you call is sort of a clue in."

"Rory, we haven't even..."

"Is that why we got married, Dean? So that you could get laid? I could have sworn it was because you loved me."

"I do."

"Then wait. Dean, you knew that getting married while I was still in school was going to be tough. I told you that I wasn't going to be able to live in Stars Hollow, I can't commute. I told you you could get a job here. You're making it harder on us."

"So the blame is on me?"

"No! You're just being a real ass. You remind me constantly that we haven't slept together and remind me constantly that I'm in New Haven and you're in Stars Hollow. I know this is hard."

"I think we should talk."

"That does not sound good."

"You're coming home on the weekend, right?"

"Yeah."

"Then Luke's at twelve."

"Dean."

"I've got to go."

"Dean, wait." But he hung up. Rory hung up the phone and leaned against the wall. "Love you too." She whispered rubbing her eyes with her forefinger and thumb. Why did she have a bad feeling about Dean wanting to talk about her. She shook her head to clear her thoughts and walked back into the room handing Jules the phone.

"So everything's all right?" She whispered.

"Everything's fine. Don't you have Mrs. Richards to attend to?" Jules glared and strode out of the room and closed the door behind her.

"That looks great on you." Rory said as Stephanie came out in a black pant and jacket suit.

He watched her as she helped Steph pick out clothes. Her eyes had been laughing and joyous when they had walked in, but when she had gotten that phone call her jaw clenched and her eyes seemed tired. The thing that was bugging him most was the fact that he had noticed it. He had obviously noticed her. He wasn't blind.

She was a beautiful young lady and had a wonderful figure and legs that went on forever. But it was the eyes that got him. Bright blue eyes that looked like the ocean. Beautiful. Then he realized that that was what got Colin every bloody time. By looking in Stephanie's eyes. He knew that if this unknown girl asked him to do something for her, all he would have to do was look her in the eyes and he'd be a goner.

Damn eyes. They always get the best of guys.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

**_A.N: _**Okay, that's the first chapter. Remember, this is my first PDLD. I've been wanting to write one for awhile and this seemed right. Let me clear some things up.

Rory and Dean have been married for a month, but have yet to sleep together. Rory is very much a virgin. I just really wanted that innocence for the story. They haven't been able to get alone time. Reasons come out later. So I just wanted you to know that.

**_Also Rory's clothes for her work uniform are on my blog. Go to my Profile and then to my homepage and you'll see the links._**


	2. Lack of a Private Life

**_A.N:_** Thanks for all the reviews guys! I really enjoyed them! I'm gald you guys all like this story! Keep on reading and reveiwing!

Kassandra

_**Part 2: Lack of a Private Life**_

"Okay." Steph said throwing yet another shirt in the direction of the guys into the ever growing pile. "I am officially done." Rory smiled and left the clothes. She had been looking at Stephanie's rejected piles (Bright colors that didn't match her skin tone). She had found some clothes that she had to buy and some that her mother would love.

"Finally." Colin said with a sigh. They got up and helped with carrying the clothing to the cash register. Rory walked out to the register. Jules was sitting on one of the stools, the phone attached to her ear. Rory squeezed in behind her and started ringing up the clothes

"It's days like these I crave to have a boyfriend to go home to." Jules muttered as she answered yet another phone call. Rory laughed. She said a few words, then turned to Rory after hanging up. She was folding clothes and putting them into a bag. "Your mother called ten times in the last hour."

"Did she say what she wanted?" Rory asked

"Yeah, she said she really needed to talk to you. To call her ASAP, more important than coffee." Rory turned and frowned, then turned back to ringing the blouses and skirts.

"Must be serious." Rory muttered. Then shrugged. "Then again it could have been sarcastic and it has something to do with Friday night dinner or my grandmother." Rory shrugged. "Plus if it was really important she would have called my cell." Julie held up her cell phone that had been lying on the counter. Rory saw that there were five missed calls.

"All from your mother except one that was from Paris."

"I guess I'll call her back when I get off." Julie nodded.

"I'm going to go fix up the back. You okay out here?"

"Fine." Julie nodded and went to the back leaving Rory and the group alone.

"Your mom overprotective?" Stephanie asked. Rory shrugged.

"It's probably nothing serious. She tends to exaggerate a lot." The phone rang and Rory answered, still ringing up the shirts. "Lilly's. Rory Gilmore speaking." Stephanie and the boys perked up to attention at the name Gilmore. "No, Lilly herself is not in. She comes on Saturday." Rory turned and tacked up a paper to the cork board behind her, leaving a note for Lilly. "I'll let her know. Okay. Thank you for calling. Bye." Rory hung up.

"Gilmore?" Colin said.

"Yes."

"Your grandparents are Richard and Emily, right?" Logan asked.

"That's right." She started putting the clothes in different bags.

"My parents vacation with them at Martha's Vineyard every year." Stephanie said.

"That's nice. They come back talking about it every year. They really like it over there." She said as she rung up the last few items and brought up the total. "Your total is six hundred fifty eight dollars and seventy eight cents." Rory said. Stephanie turned

"Okay, whose turn is it?" Finn and Colin turned and looked at Logan who sighed. He pulled out his wallet and handed Rory the credit card.

"Debit or credit?"

"Credit." Rory pushed the buttons and slid the card through. The phone rang and she picked it up.

"Lilly's. Rory Gilmore speaking. How can I help you? Mom, what are you doing calling?" Rory said agitated. She handed him back the card and waited for the receipt to print. "Look, I'm in the middle of working. I get off in like two minutes, can I call you back? Okay, bye." Rory hung up and took the receipt handing it to Logan. He signed and she handed the bags over.

"Thanks for all your help." Stephanie said as they walked out.

"My pleasure." Rory said. She looked at her watch. Five thirty. She was done. She started packing up her laptop and Psych book and grabbed her bag of clothes. She put the bag on her shoulder. "I'm done, Jules!" Rory said as she started walking out.

"See you later, Ror." Rory nodded and left the shop, the cold air making its way through her thin shirt. She loved Fall. The way the leaves changed colors and everything seemed calm and quiet. Her mother's was winter. She walked across the street towards the cafe and ordered her usual of black coffee and a blueberry scone. She sat in the back of the cafe and settled in taking her cell phone out of her purse and dialing her mom's

"Lorelai."

"You wanted me to call you back?"

"Yeah, I did. It's about Dean. Did he call you?"

"Yeah, earlier, said we had to talk. Told him I would be in town this weekend and we could talk then."

"Rory…"

"Why is everyone asking me about him? First Julie and now you?"

"Well, you know how he's working on the house, right?"

"Yeah, he's my... what's the word again? Oh, that's right, husband. I know what job he works at. "

"Well, I think I saw him making out with a girl." Rory sat still in her chair and shook her head.

"He wouldn't do that."

"Rory!"

"He wouldn't do that." She said more firmly. "We've been together seven years, mom. He loves me too much to hurt me that way. You probably saw someone else."

"Rory, come on."

"You saw someone else, mom." She heard her mother sigh.

"Yeah, you're probably right. So many people in Stars Hollow have that damn haircut. It's all the rage." Rory frowned.

"I've got to go."

"Rory, wait."

"I'll talk to you later. Love you." She said hanging up. It wasn't him. It wasn't him. Rory repeated in her head over and over again. She couldn't keep doing this. She couldn't keep looking the other way. She had told him that the first time she had caught him that she couldn't. He wouldn't do that to her.

She felt the hot prickle of tears start to sting the back of her eyes. She covered her face with her hands, her palms to her eyes. It wasn't him.

"You okay, love?" She looked up and saw the brown haired man that had been in the shop a few minute ago. Finn. He was holding a napkin out for her to take. When she just stared at it he gestured for her to take it. She did. She carefully wiped the underside of her eyes where she knew the mascara had run. He gestured to the seat across from her and she waved her hand for him to sit. He sat down and placed his coffee and muffin on the table.

"Thanks." She said gesturing to the napkin that was a ball in her hand.

"No problem, but I repeat. Are you okay?" Rory sniffed and nodded.

"Yeah, no use worrying over a few tears." She said with a shrug. Finn knew it wasn't his place to pry. Hell, he barely knew this girl. So he wasn't going to, he knew better.

"You know, we weren't properly introduced." He said. "My name is Finnegan Eugene Rothschild the Fourth. My friends call me Finn." Rory laughed as he stuck out his hand for her to shake.

"Lorelai Leigh Gilmore the Third. My friends call me Rory." She said shaking his hand.

"Well, Rory, it's nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too, Finn." She smiled, then she started picking at her scone. "Weren't you shopping with..." Rory trailed off as she tried to remember the name. Her mind was so jumbled at the moment that he could wave the name in front of her and she wouldn't connect it.

"Steph." He helped. "And yes. But it's Colin's turn to pay and I told her that I would pay the next two stores if she let me get some food."

"You know you are _nowhere_ near done following her around?" She laughed. Finn laughed as well.

"I'm very much aware. We've been through this many times before. Steph is what we like to call a shopaholic."

"My mother is the same way." Rory said. "But we're always broke so we window shop a lot and then we get depressed cause we can't buy the clothes. It is a very vicious cycle."

"Steph's weakness is jewelry. She'll spend hours in a shop."

"My mother's are shoes. Jimmy Choo's especially."

"And yours, love?" Rory thought about it for a moment.

"Clothes. All sorts, I like trying them on." She admitted. Finn nodded. They stayed silent for a minute.

"How long have you worked at Lilly's?"

"Six months." Rory responded.

"I know Lilly."

"Really? She a friend of my grandmother's. How do you know her?"

"She's my mother." Rory's eyes widened.

"Your mother?" Finn laughed and nodded.

"Yep."

"But her last name..."

"Lillian Ann Morgan Rothschild." Finn answered. "She used her maiden name."

"She's always talking about her son Eugene." Finn winced.

"She knows I loathe the name." Finn replied. "But it's my great-grandfather's name. They were close." Rory nodded in understanding.

"My mom named me after herself. Feminism and Demerol went into that decision." Rory said. Finn laughed. Just then she felt her cell vibrate in her pocket where she had put it after her conversation with her mother. She gave a quick apology to Finn and looked at the caller ID.

"Sorry."

"Go ahead." Finn said leaning back in his chair and looking around the cafe. Rory answered.

"Paris?"

"Where the hell are you?"

"I'm at Starbucks. Like I always am after work, why?"

"Your mother called." Rory crossed her arm over her chest and leaned back in her chair.

"She called you?"

"No, she called the apartment."

"When?"

"I don't know, twenty minutes ago. She said she had to talk to you."

"We talked." Rory stated.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

"The usual."

"Dean?"

"What else is new? He called also. He wants to talk." She said looking at her ring, then glancing around the cafe.

"Oh." Rory felt her stomach drop. Why had Paris said 'oh'? It hadn't been a happy 'oh', it had been a sad 'oh'. Why would she have done that?

"It can't be bad, right? I mean we're happy."

"Rory..."

"We're happy."

"You haven't even slept together and you've been married a month."

"That shouldn't matter!" She was pissed off now. "It's like no one remembers that what goes on between me and Dean is our business. Not my mother's, not yours and certainly not the town's."

"I never said it was my business, Rory."

"Then why should it matter?"

"I'm just saying that if you really loved him..."

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Wait! That didn't come out right."

"_If_ I really loved him?" Rory put her fingers to her temples and rubbed. She could feel the beginning of a headache brewing. "Would I have married him if I didn't? Would I have stayed with him seven years if I didn't?"

"Can I finish my thought? On your wedding night, what did you do?"

"He understood. He knows school's important. And you know what, I'm not having this conversation with you, Paris. Especially while I'm in the middle of a crowded Starbucks with my boss's son sitting across from me." She heard Paris sigh.

"I'm sorry. It didn't come out right, Rory. And you're right."

"I know I am."

"Don't push it, Gilmore."

"Sorry."

"I'll just see you back at home."

"I'll be there in ten minutes."

"Okay."

"Hey, Paris? It can't be bad, right?" She heard Paris sigh.

"I think you already know, Rory. You're just too blind to see it."

"Thanks." Rory said sarcastically. "I'll see you in a few."

"I'll order pizza."

"Bye."

"Bye." Rory hung up her phone and drank her coffee. It wasn't bad she decided. It was probably something else.

"You okay?" Rory smiled.

"You've got to stop asking that. I'm fine Just tired of people prying into what me and my husband do." "Or don't do." Rory added silently. "I've actually got to go. My roommate is waiting for me."

"Roommate? I thought you were married."

"I am." Rory said. "But while I'm going to school I'm living in an apartment I own, with my friend and her boyfriend. My husband lives in my hometown. He works and refuses to move and I refuse to commute. It was one of the pigheaded moments we both had." She shrugged. She grabbed her things as did Finn as they walked out. Finn looked down the street and saw Colin walking his way.

"Finn! It's your turn." Finn nodded at Colin.

"Well, duty calls. It was nice meeting you again."

"Same goes." Rory smiled. She started to turn away when Finn touched her shoulder.

"My friends and I got to the pub every now and then on the Yale campus."

"I know which one." Finn said.

"Well, I'll be there tonight."

"Is that a proposition, Mr. Rothschild?"

"Why yes, it is."

"I'm married."

"That's never stopped me before." Rory laughed and turned.

"Bye, Finn." She said as she unlocked her car and got in. Finn smirked. Nope, it's never stopped him before.


	3. The Beginning of the End

_**Part 3: The Beginning of the End**_

"Okay, we are going to the pub to celebrate!" Jules said wrapping an arm around both Paris and Rory. Rory raised her eyebrow and Paris snorted.

"Celebrate what exactly, Jules?" Paris asked as they stood in line for coffee.

"Well, duh, it's Thursday." Jules said as if that explained it all.

"Oh, Thursday, right… again, what are we celebrating?" Paris asked. Jules rolled her eyes.

"I think what Jules is trying to say is that we shouldn't need a reason to celebrate, we should just do it." Rory explained.

"Now here is a girl who understands me." Rory rolled her eyes.

"I'm the only girl that understands you." Jules laughed and nodded.

"Right, you are. So we are going to celebrate like we've never celebrated before. And we are also going to get Gilmore laid." Rory blushed and looked down.

"I think I can help with that." The three girls looked back and saw Finn and two other guys standing behind them.

"Hey, Finn." Rory said. She looked at the other two guys. They were the two other guys that had come into the shop. She couldn't for the life of her remember their names.

"Colin and Logan, love." Finn helped her. Rory sighed in relief.

"That was going to bug me. Thank you." She turned back to her friends. "This is Paris, my roommate, and Jules, my friend. She also works at Lilly's." Rory supplied.

"You are cute." Jules said to Finn. "You all are." She said eyeing Logan up and down. Paris rolled her eyes and grabbed her arm.

"Rory has Psych in ten minutes, let's get coffee." Paris said. Jules gave a small wink Logan's way and turned to get their coffee.

"Sorry about Jules. Off hours she's sort of intense." Rory apologized.

"It's all right. She single?" Logan asked eyeing her. Rory cocked her head.

"Why?" Rory asked.

"Just wondering." He responded with a smirk. Rory shook her head.

"I'll ask. I really don't keep track of her dating record. Paris is taken though. I'm sorry, boys." The girls came back holding coffee. Paris handed one to Rory. "Thanks." She muttered and took a deep gulp.

"So what are you boys up to this fine afternoon?" Jules asked with a smile. Rory rolled her eyes.

"We were going to the pub later tonight." Logan responded.

"What a coincidence, so were we." Jules said running tongue over her teeth. Logan smirked.

"We heard. 'Getting Gilmore Laid.'" Colin said. Rory blushed.

"They were kidding."

"Not satisfied with your husband, love?" Finn teased.

"She can't be satisfied if she's not doing anything." Paris muttered. Rory glared at her.

"Shut up, Paris."

"I'm just saying."

"You're saying nothing. We've had this conversation before."

"And we'll have it again." Rory glared. "Just not now."

"Not ever again." She took another drink of her coffee only to find it empty. She threw it in the nearest trash can and went back to the group. "So Jules, Daniel?" Jules scrunched up her face disgusted.

"Cute in retrospect, but it's like all the others. It's their needs and only their needs." Jules sighed. "I just cannot find that guy." Jules sighed dramatically, then shrugged. "Oh well, I think I'm swearing off guys."

"Again?" Paris asked. Rory laughed. Jules glared at her.

"Shut up, Paris!"

"RORY!" Rory turned and saw Dean walking over to her.

"Dean?" He looked at her. "What are you doing here? I thought we were meeting up on Saturday?" He shrugged.

"Just thought we could talk now?"

"I can't now. I have a Psych class in like five minutes."

"Oh, later?" She nodded.

"Yeah, me and the girls were planning on going to the pub later for a couple of drinks to celebrate."

"Celebrate what?"

"It's Thursday." Jules said.

"Not this again, please." Paris begged.

"Nothing really. We're just going out."

"Okay, I'll meet you there. I have to get some stuff for Tom. We need more lumber for the nursery." Finn saw Rory's eyes brighten at the word nursery.

"You're pregnant, love?" Finn asked. Rory turned and shook her head.

"No, not me. My mom is. She's adding a nursery to her house." Finn nodded. She turned back to Dean. "Look, I've got to get to class. I'll be at the library the rest of the day for research. I'll meet you at the pub around eight?"

"That's fine. I'll be done by then."

"Need directions or..."

"No, I remember from last time." Rory nodded and leaned up and kissed him softly. He tasted like cherries. Rory frowned and pulled back. "Are you using lip balm?"

"No, why?"

"You taste like cherries." She shrugged, then looked at her watch. "Crap, I'm late, I'll see you all later." She ran off towards her class and Paris crossed her arms over her chest.

"Forgot to wipe your lips off, Dean?"

"Stay out of it, Geller. I married Rory, not you." Paris glared at him and started walking away, she stopped right next to him.

"Zip up your pants next time." She said as she started walking away again. Dean looked down and cursed himself. He zipped himself up and looked up to see Jules glaring at him.

"Rory may be blind, but we're not." Jules said as she walked in the other direction. The three guys looked at him and Dean just ran a hand through his hair as he walked back towards his car. Finn looked at his two friends who had also watched the interaction.

"He's cheating on her." Colin stated.

"Do you think she knows?" Finn asked. Logan shrugged.

"Paris and Jules know. Maybe she does too." Finn nodded as they walked towards their class.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

"Rory, can't you see it!" Jules said as they walked towards the pub. Rory crossed her arms over her chest. Yeah, she had seen it. She had to be stupid not to be able to see it. She just chose to ignore it.

"Rory." Paris pleaded. Rory turned to them.

"Leave. It. Alone. This issue is between my _husband_ and myself. Not my husband, me, Paris and Jules."

"Rory." Jules said.

"Leave it. I want to go and drink."

"You drink Shirley Temples all night. Virgin Shirley Temples." Paris said.

"My prerogative."

"It's also your prerogative not to see something that's right in front of your god damn face." Paris said.

"I never said I didn't see it, Paris." Jules and Paris stopped and stared at her. "It hurts to know that he does it, but I can't... I" Rory stopped and took a breath and let it go. "I know. Just leave it at that." Rory said as she continued her trek to the pub. Jules sighed.

"So bookworm, any new books on the reading list?" Jules teased. Rory smiled thankful to have them drop it.

"Well, I was rereading Pride and Prejudice. The movie's coming out soon."

"How 'bout the Kama Sutra?" Jules teased. Pairs let out a sharp laugh and Rory blushed as they walked into the pub laughing.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

He had seen her walk into the pub with her girlfriends, laughing and teasing each other. Her face flushed from the cold or the embarrassment, he didn't know. They sat down at one of the booths and ordered their drinks. She was wearing a black skirt with about an inch of black ruffled tulle at the bottom giving her hips a figure that he knew she had. She also had on a black formal camisole. The straps were silver and crisscrossed to the center and then under her breast giving her bust size a bit more oomph. He could have laughed at himself for using that word. Or the fact that he knew what the hell tulle was. He blamed Steph. The shirt was V-necked. Deep. Enough said.

"Rory!" Colin called. She looked up and waved, then whispered something to her friends pointing to their table. Steph looked at her.

"Aren't those the two girls that work at your mom's shop, Finn?" Finn nodded.

"Yeah. Rory's nice. Jules is..."

"Intense." Logan finished.

"That's the word." Finn agreed

"Intense?" Steph asked.

"You'll see." Colin said. The girls came over.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" Jules said looking at Logan. Finn smirked as he saw Logan squirm under her intense gaze.

"I see what you mean." Steph said with a smile.

"Sit down." Colin said.

"We're not intruding, are we?" Rory asked,

"You can't intrude if we invited you." Steph said. Rory smiled and Jules sat next to Logan, Paris and Rory at the end. She sat down across from Finn.

"This is my roommate Paris and you know Jules from the store." Rory introduced. "Paris, this is Steph. You met Logan and Colin earlier." Paris just scowled. "What's wrong now, Paris?" Rory asked taking a sip of her pinkish, reddish drink.

"It's was supposed to be girls' night." Jules rolled her eyes.

"That idea went down the drain when Rory invited Dean."

"He wanted to talk." Rory said with a shrug." I haven't seen him for a week. And things have been off with us lately."

"I wonder why?" Paris muttered sarcastically. Rory kicked her leg under the table. "Sorry."

"It's probably just the distance."

"Denial." Jules said.

"Shut up, Jules." Rory said crossing her arms. "I am not in denial."

"Would you like to rehash the conversation we had outside. I bet these four people in front of us would have wonderful input on your situation."

"Shut up, Jules. I told you to leave it alone, so leave it alone."

"I'm leaving it alone."

"The fact that you keep bringing it up is not leaving it alone."

"Both of you just shut up and drink." Paris said. "Jules, quit butting into Rory's lack of a love life."

"Thanks, Paris."

"And you quit looking the other way and tell him."

"You should take your own advice," Rory said. "I'll be right back, I need to go to the bathroom. Tell Dean if he comes."

"I'm not telling him shit." Rory rolled her eyes and walked to the bathroom.

"Denial." Jules muttered after her. Rory glared and walked off.

"This about her husband?" Logan asked. The girls shrugged.

"If you think it is it might be." Jules looked towards the door and immediately tensed. Paris looked at where she was looking and saw Dean standing at the door, looking completely out of place at the Yale Pub.

"Should we call him over?" Jules asked. Paris sighed.

"Rory would hate us more if we didn't." Jules nodded.

"Dean! Over here!" Jules called. Dean looked over and walked over to their table.

"Where's Rory?"

"Girls room, over there." Paris said pointing towards the bathroom. Dean nodded and walked over to wait for her. They saw Rory coming out fixing her skirt and smile at Dean. They said few words. Finn watched as Rory paled and stared at her husband. She composed herself and she said something and they walked out of the Pub.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

Rory came out of the bathroom and fixed her skirt pulling it down to the proper place. When she looked up she saw Dean standing there.

"Hey." She said cocking her head to the side.

"Hey."

"Did you get the lumber?"

"Yeah. It's all in the trunk. I have to get it to Tom tonight." Rory nodded.

"You wanted to talk."

"Yeah."

"So... talk."

"Rory, I just... I don't..." Dean ran a hand through his hair. "It's not working, Rory. I want a divorce."


	4. Rory Gilmore Speaks Up

_**Part 4: Rory Gilmore Speaks Up**_

Rory stared at Dean hoping she hadn't heard right. He clearly hadn't said divorce.

"I'm sorry, I don't think I heard right, care to repeat that?"

"Rory." He said with a shake of his head. Rory stared at him.

"Oh my god."

"Let me explain, please."

"Not here. Not in a crowded place. If we are going to talk about this, I want it to be somewhere where I can yell properly. Outside, now!" She said walking past him, her arms crossed over her chest. Dean sighed and walked out after her. He saw her standing near a bench pacing. He stood in front of her, shifting from one foot to the other. A nervous habit. He had done it at the wedding.

"Ror, tell me what you're thinking." She stopped and closed her eyes as if pained that he had called her Ror.

"You so do not want to know what I'm thinking at this particular moment, Dean." He nodded and she continued pacing. After a few more minutes she turned to him.

"A month. We've only been married a month. We have been together for seven years. Seven years, Dean! Care to explain why you're backing out now after we're married?"

"Rory, we're too young for this responsibility."

"Bullshit, Dean! Bullshit!" She yelled. "This has nothing to do with responsibility seeing as you were the one to propose at 18!"

"You were the one that said yes, Rory!"

"What, did you want me to say no!"

"Yes!" Rory stared at him, her eyes wide.

"Wow." She said. He sighed and ran his hand through his hair again.

"Sorry."

"No. No, please don't apologize." She said. "At least not yet."

"Rory, we couldn't have made this work. You're always studying."

"You know school is important to me, Dean."

"I know that, Rory."

"You were the one that refused to move to New Haven and you knew I couldn't commute everyday. You knew all of this!"

"Rory, this couldn't have worked. It hasn't been working for a while now!"

"Oh, come off it, Dean, you know as well as I do that this has nothing to do with petty arguments on the phone. This is where you should start your apologizing."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"The fact that you've been sleeping with Lindsay for more than a year now." She said. Dean's eyes widened.

"You knew?" Rory gaped at him.

"Did you really think me that stupid not to know! We live in a small town, Dean. The excuse of 'I've got to work late' doesn't fly seeing as everything closes at eight! Tom sends all the workers home at seven! Stars Hollow was my town way before it was yours!"

"Rory."

"My mom caught you, Dean! She caught you pretty much mauling her in MY backyard! MY BACKYARD, DEAN!"

"Let me," Rory continued.

"And I defended you! I defended your sorry ass! Saying that you loved me too much to EVER do that to me! And I knew it was you, Dean! And you didn't think I noticed that you had just finished coming from her when you came? The lip gloss on your lips and the fact that your zipper was down! My god, Dean, if you wanted to get out sexual frustrations, you use your hand, not the sluttiest girl in Stars Hollow!"

"It's different with Lindsay!"

"I so do not need to hear about your fucking sexcapades!"

"No. God, Rory, I don't get the same reaction with you as I do with her." Rory frowned.

"Not comprehending, Dean."

"I don't think about you that way. I don't... I can't..."

"Spit it out!"

"You're not sexy to me, Rory!" Rory's eyes widened.

"What?" Realization dawned on her and she crossed her arms over her chest. "Wait, let me get this straight. You are blaming me for the fact that when you're with me, your _wife,_ you can't get it up? It all comes back to the fact that we have yet to sleep together. What, Dean, if you don't bed me within a month of marriage do you lose some kind of bet!"

"Rory, you're a virgin."

"Thanks for throwing it in my face."

"You don't know what that feeling is!"

"You're joking, right?" Rory saw that he was dead serious. "You actually think that because I'm a virgin, I don't know what it feels like to feel aroused? That I'm so fucking inexperienced that I have yet to feel that gut wrenching feeling?" Dean just stared at her and she shook her head.

"Unbelievable." She said as she started walking back towards the pub.

"Where are you going?"

"In the seven years that we've known each other you really don't know me, do you?"

"What are you talking about?"

Rory sighed as she walked back to the table and started gathering her stuff. She wanted to get out of New Haven. She needed to. Everyone at the table was looking at her and she hated Dean for doing this to her in a public place. But she should have known. He knew that she hated being the center of attention and that by telling her something this big in a crowded place she was going to make less of a spectacle and he was right.

"Rory, talk to me." Rory scoffed as she turned back to him.

"As far as I'm concerned we're done, Dean." She said taking off her rings. "We're done with the conversation and we're done with this sham of a marriage. Best wishes for you and Lindsay. You have my fucking blessing. Not that you need it." She said holding out the rings for him to take.

"I'm done, you're out. Seven years down the fucking drain. Lindsay will have to put up with your shit now, not me." He took the rings and she just shook her head. "This isn't the first time you've been caught, Dean. Believe me, this is not the first time. And it sure as hell will not be the last. We live in a small town. MY small town. Be prepared."

"Is that a threat?"

"Consider it a warning." She corrected. She was about to leave when he grabbed her arm.

"Rory, let's talk about this, please." She laughed. He could not be doing this to her.

"Do not touch me. You do not have that right anymore." She said wrenching her arm away. "And do not turn this around as if it was my idea! I will not be to blame for a failure in this marriage. I might not have been the perfect wife, but I tried to be! You got what you wanted, Dean. What more do you want!"

"What the hell was I supposed to do, Rory!"

"Try keeping it in your pants next time!" She yelled. Her last nerve had snapped. She had just wanted to leave and leave the discussion as it was, sign the divorce papers and have Dean out of her life so she could cry in peace. But he had pushed and her nerves could only be pushed so far till she snapped. He had pushed the limit. A few pub patrons who had heard the outburst were snickering behind them. Dean glared at her.

"You got what you wanted, Dean. I'm signing the papers." She repeated. "Now go fuck Lindsay." She hissed out before turning and walking out of the pub, her head held high. She was not going to humiliate herself more by running out in hysterics. She'd cry, she had no doubt of doubt that. She'd cry buckets. Dean was her first everything except for lover. She walked into the gusty night and allowed herself to loosen the death grip she had on her black jacket and purse, she felt the blood rush back to her hand.

She hated confrontation. Had always tried to avoid it. Had avoided it. She was not one to cuss. She was her town's angel. And her and Dean had been the perfect couple that could do no wrong. Only breaking up once when she couldn't say three important words when she was sixteen.

She had known for a year that he had been sleeping with someone else, but had found it better to look the other way and play the role of blushing bride. He had known when they got together that she didn't want to have sex. It was her own personal thing. She had told him that it was because she wanted to wait until after she was married. Which was a bunch of bullshit. Her wedding night was spent at her desk in her apartment in New Haven pouring over her English books for a test the next morning while Dean screwed some other girl.

She had known that he hadn't been that person to love her unconditionally. And she had known that when she accepted the proposal. But when you've been with someone for seven years marriage just seems like the logical step. And it had at the time. Three years of engagement and she had looked the other way. And he had gotten away with it knowing that she wasn't going to say a god damn word.

Rory sighed and unlocked her car door throwing her jacket and purse into the passenger seat and getting in.

They had grown up and apart. Both too blind to see that they weren't the same sixteen-year olds that had met when she dropped her books in the middle of the Stars Hollow High hallway. They weren't the same seventeen-year olds that had celebrated two anniversaries after they had broken up and gotten back together. That way they could spend more time together. And they had both known that when they recited their wedding vows.

She shook her head. She wasn't going to dwell on it right now. Not until she got home, got some sleep and thought all of it through. She needed her mother.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

Dean stood next to the table and watched Rory walk out. She was going to Stars Hollow. He knew that. She always went to her mother when she had a problem. He was about to walk out when someone grabbed his arm. He looked over and saw Paris's hand in a firm grasp on him. She stood up and glared at him.

"You go anywhere near her and that member that got you in trouble in the first place will be no more. Understand?"

"Mind your business, Geller."

"Rory is my business, so technically I'm minding it. She's my best friend and you hurt her. Stay away." She pushed past him and walked out of the pub. Jules glared at him as well.

"Bastard." She said loud and clear, then pushed past him as well walking out. Dean looked at the rings still in his hand and stuffed them in his pockets.

"Hoped you enjoyed the show." He said, then walked out into the chilly night. Finn looked at his friends.

"Was he talking to us?"

"I think he was, Finn." Colin said.

"I wonder if she's okay." Logan said.

"I have the feeling that Rory is a very strong girl when the need arises." Steph said confidently. "Now, who's buying the next round?"

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

Rory pulled onto the interstate when she heard the distinct sound of her cell phone in her purse. With one hand still on the wheel, she rummaged through the bag and grabbed it flipping it open.

"Hello?"

"Where are you?" She heard Paris's voice on the other end.

"I'm going home."

"The apartment?"

"No, home. To Stars Hollow. I just need time to think about all this. Wrap my mind around all this. I need my mom."

"Don't you think that's a bad idea seeing as Dean lives there too."

"He won't come anywhere near the house if he knows what's good for him." Rory said. " I have Luke and Lorelai as well as Lexi."

"True. Lexi didn't like him very much." Rory smiled. "Are you okay, Rory?"

"I'll be fine, Paris. I thought a little about it and realized that this was bound to happen. I just didn't think it would happen this soon."

"Well, just know that Jules and I are here for you."

"Thanks, Paris."

"No problem. See you tomorrow."

"Yeah, bye." Rory hung up the phone and pulled onto the Stars Hollow exit.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

**_A.N.:_** When I re-read this I was wondering if maybe the readers would get the impression that Finn, Steph, Logan and Colin didn't really care about the whole show. They do, but they don't believe that it's their business seeing as they've only known Rory a day. And not even that. Finn was the one who knows her a bit more than the rest. So just understand that they do care.


	5. My Finn

_**Part 5: My Finn**_

Rory parked in front of her childhood home and got out of the car. It was ten thirty. Her mother and stepfather were probably sitting on the couch watching TV. Maybe she could get past without them noticing. She climbed up the porch, opened the unlocked door and walked in.

"Who is it?" Rory gave a quiet, but choked up laugh. Then she leaned up against the door and fell to the floor. She couldn't help the tears that fell. And she couldn't help the speed they were coming at.

"Rory?" She heard her mother get off the couch and come to the foyer. "Oh my god Rory." She quickly knelt down by her and cradled her daughter into her lap rocking her as she cried. "Luke, make some coffee." She heard her mother say and him go into the kitchen.

"Rory babe, it'll be okay, I promise. You're okay now." Her mother kept repeating as she rocked her. Thirty minutes later Lorelai found her daughter sleeping and she kissed her forehead.

"Luke." She whispered. "Luke!" She said a bit louder. He came out.

"Hey, she okay?"

"I don't know. Help me get her to her room." Luke nodded and carefully picked up her sleeping daughter and carried her to her childhood room carefully laying her in the bed. Lorelai took off Rory's shoes and covered her up with the covers. Lorelai sat next to her and ran a hand through her hair.

"I'm going to stay down here tonight." Luke nodded and kissed both their heads.

"'Night Lor."

''Night." Lorelai looked down at her daughter and smiled sadly. What was wrong?

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

Lorelai woke up early in the morning to the loud sounds coming from the kitchen. She looked at the clock and found that it was already ten thirty. When she looked down at her lap where Rory's head had been it was empty. She quickly got out of bed to see Rory moving around the kitchen pulling out muffins from the oven.

"Since when did you know how to make muffins? And why didn't you make them before?"

"Luke taught me. And because the need never arose. You know, cooking is a very relaxing tool. Stirring the batter and making measurements and pouring things out and pouring things in. Keeps your mind off certain things."

"Are you trying to keep your mind off a certain thing?"

"Maybe." Rory said taking out a tray of cookies. Lorelai took her arms and made her put the tray down.

"Rory, what's up? I mean I love the fact that you and Luke are doing some bonding by cooking, but it's sort of scaring me that you know what these odd looking knobs do. What's going on?"

"Nothing." Rory said taking off the cooking mitts and putting them onto the tray. Lorelai looked at her left hand as Rory ran it through her hair.

"Ror? Where's your wedding ring? You never take that thing off." Rory looked at her hand.

"I gave it back."

"To the store?"

"No, to Dean." She took the spatula and started putting the cookies on a plate. Lorelai blinked and took the spatula from Rory and made her sit down.

"Okay, mommy is going crazy right now. You've got to sit down and explain." Rory gave a shrug and sat down.

"It's really easy. Dean is getting out sexual frustrations in other ways than with his hand and now we're getting divorced."

"Aww, Rory."

"I knew, mom. I've known since before we got married that he's been sleeping with her." Rory shrugged. "I just chose to ignore it."

"I'm so sorry, Rory."

"We ended up having a screaming match outside of the campus pub, in which it ended with me telling him to go fuck Lindsay. I gave him the ring. Told him that he had my blessing though he didn't need it anymore." She put her face in her hands. "I've been such an idiot thinking that he would stop after we got married. And I caught him once with her. And um... he said it wouldn't happen again. And I believed him even though I knew he was still doing it."

"Rory, you loved him."

"God, mom, I stopped loving him a long time ago." Lorelai stared at her daughter.

"Then why did you..."

"Cause it just seemed... like the logical step. I mean being together for seven years. Marriage just seemed like the right way to go. But I found out last night that he never even meant to propose, let alone expected me to say yes."

"God, I'm so sorry, babe. So... what now?"

"Divorce. Or annulment. I don't know. I didn't sleep with him, so I have no idea which one it would be."

"What about the apartment here?"

"Well, I have to get my stuff out, but not now. I can't go there right now."

"Rory, I meant what are you going to do with it? You owned that apartment before Dean moved in. It's under your name. If anything, Dean is the one that should move out."

"But…"

"Rory, you're the one that paid the rent for a year. It's your apartment."

"WORY!" Rory smiled as she saw her little sister Lexi run over and hug her.

"Hey sis." She said picking up the little girl and setting her in her lap. Lorelai smiled as Rory listened to Lexi regale stories of her week. Her daughter would make an excellent mother.

"Nah uh." Rory said shaking her head.

"Uh huh!" Lexi said nodding hers vigorously.

"And then what did Davie do?" Rory said referring to Sookie's six-year old Davie. Lexi finished her tale and Rory smiled kissing her cheek.

"Ror, do you want to stay a while?" Lorelai asked.

"No, I'm okay. I sort of knew this was coming, I just never thought it would be this soon."

"You sure?"

"Positive. Actually, I was wondering if I could take Lexi with me?"

"Yeah!" Lexi squealed

"Where?" Lorelai asked

"New Haven. Take her to the park. I never get to see her. I'll take her to dinner tonight and give her back then." Lorelai nodded.

"Yeah. Let me just get her changed."

"Thanks, mom."

"Are you sure you're okay? I mean you're getting divorced from your husband of a month. You've been with Dean for seven years."

"I'll be okay... eventually." Lorelai nodded and picked up her daughter.

"Okay, we'll be right down." Rory nodded and started back up with putting the cookies away.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

It wasn't hard to spot her. She was lying on a blanket, her hair spread out on the grass, a book standing on her chest, a little girl playing with her hair. The little girl stood up and said something making her laugh, sit up and wrap her arms around her nuzzling her nose in the crook of the little girl's neck making her laugh and try to fight her way out.

He had just gotten back from lunch with his parents. His father was the same overbearing bastard he always was while his mother played the mediator. After those hellish lunches he always went through the park to get back to the apartment. He was walking through when he saw her reading to the little girl. She saw her say something and point. The girl nodded and ran off the playground a few yards away. The little girl scampered off as Rory watched, her knees to her chest. He walked over and smiled.

"Hello love." She looked up and smiled.

"Hey Finn." He gestured to the spot next to her and she nodded scooting over. He sat down and leaned against the tree that was next to the blanket. "What brings you to the park?"

"On my way back to the apartment." He said. Rory gave a nod. "You?" She smiled, but before she responded the little girl came running back

"Fower for wory." Rory smiled and kissed her cheek.

"Thanks Lexi. Here, cookie for you."

"Daddy's?" Rory rolled her eyes.

"Mine." Lexi made a face and ran back to the playground. "They're not that bad." She muttered.

"Who is she, love?"

"My little sister. Alexis Isabella Danes-Gilmore."

"Strong name."

"For a strong girl."

"So what are you doing back in New Haven?" Rory looked at him.

"I go to school here."

"Well, after..."

"last night? Sorry about that." Finn raised an eyebrow.

"Shouldn't I be the one saying sorry to you?"

"Dean's a bastard."

"Sorry to hear that." She held up her hand.

"Didn't finish. And I'm an idiot."

"Now why do you say that?"

"I knew." She said turning away and looking at Lexi playing on the slides. "I've known for years that our relationship was over." She gave a shrug. "But he was always the safe thing. I never knew anything else. The idea of not being with him scared me. God, I don't know why I'm telling you this."

"I'm easy to talk to."

"Or maybe I trust to easily?" She said turning back to him. He shrugged

"Maybe so." They stayed silent for a while when the sound of her cell phone rang out. She opened it and answered.

"Hello? Hey... no, I'm back... I'm going to the apartment later... cause I have to get ready for dinner... I might be back early depends on what my grandmother has to say about the news... no, I'm not going back, I have classes tomorrow and essays and articles to write... no, I do not need to wallow... Paris, repeat after me 'I do not need to wallow'... thank you...yeah, I'll pick some up on the way... okay... bye." Rory hung up and put her cell into the picnic basket. "Sorry."

"No problem."

"I wish they would stay out of it."

"Who and what?"

"Friends, staying out of my life."

"Friends are there to look after you."

"I know that. I just wish they weren't so quick to judge. God, I don't know. I really don't know anything anymore. I feel like I'm not even completely sane anymore."

"It's divorce."

"Annulment." Rory said.

"I'm sorry?"

"It's an annulment. We've been married a month. The apartment that he is currently living in is mine. The stuff in it is mine. And the fact that I never slept with him sort of rules out divorce."

"Please, tell me you at least got a prenup." Rory laughed.

"No, Stars Hollow doesn't do that. I didn't want that. Seemed more... impersonal for someone I've been with almost seven years."

"Seven?"

"Sophomore year of high school." She said. "We got together after my sixteenth birthday. Jeez... we've grown up since then."

"Maybe that was the problem?" Rory shrugged.

"Some, we grew up and apart. I went to Yale and he went to community college in Hartford and lived in the apartment that I lived in on weekends when I went home. The other half was sex."

"Sex?" Rory nodded.

"It ruins everything you know." She said turning to face him again. "That's my opinion. My mother had sex at sixteen and got pregnant. She had me. She tells me over and over again that yes, having sex at that age was a mistake, but she had me so everything worked out fine. But she's so smart. She could have done so many wonderful things with her life if I hadn't been born. But I was. And I know my mom wouldn't change that for the world. But her relationship with my father just..."

"Went to the crapper?" Rory laughed.

"Pretty much. That's why I didn't want to have sex until I was married. It just... my mom and I had my future planned. Still do. And nothing was coming between that and my dream. He knew that. He knew my views and the way I felt about it. And I think one part accepted it and the other part didn't. So... without my knowing he went and screwed some willing girl. And has been for years."

"Jesus, Rory. I didn't…"

"You wouldn't have known. You met me two days ago. There's definitely no telling in those three meetings how fucked up my relationship with my husband was. Ex-husband."

"When did you guys get engaged?"

"Eighteen. Way too young, but when he asked me I was in shock and I kept telling myself that, but then I told myself that Romeo and Juliet were way younger than us. She was fifteen when she married Romeo. I never made the connection that they died at the end." Finn laughed.

"Well, you didn't die."

"No, I didn't, did I?"

"You're right. I did meet you two days ago. But I know you're a strong woman mentally."

"What about physically?"

"With those arms? I bet you've never picked up a heavy object in your life." Rory smiled and gave a nod.

"Gilmore girls are against heavy lifting. Guys are to do all of that." Finn smiled. Lexi came running back.

"Wawer."

"In the basket." Lexi opened the basket and dug around grabbing the bottle of water and trying to open it. She handed it to Rory after three failed attempts and Rory opened it for her. Lexi sat down and drank from the water bottle.

"Lexi, this is my friend Finn." Rory introduced. Lexi stood up and hugged Rory.

"My Rowy!" Finn laughed.

"Well, how about I take you and your Rory to get some ice cream." Lexi smiled and went and hugged Finn.

"My Finn!" Rory laughed and picked up the blanket and stood up.

"Come on, charmer. You're buying ice cream." Fin laughed and picked up the little girl. Rory smiled at him. She was glad to have a friend like Finn.


	6. Breaking the News

_**Part 6: Breaking the News**_

"That was the dirtiest and crudest movie I have ever seen." Rory said as she licked her ice cream. Finn laughed. They had been talking about what they had done that past weekend and ended up sharing one thing, watching the same movie at the movie theater.

"That's what made it good, love."

"It wasn't even a good joke."

"That wasn't the point."

"A man walks into a talent agency and he says to the talent agent 'Have I got a show for you' then the talent agent said, 'Let's hear it.' The rest is crude and disgusting."

"Funny as hell," Finn said.

"Bestiality and incest are not funny!" Rory objected with a smile as she picked up Lexi who was lagging behind.

"You're smiling. You liked it."

"I liked the movie, I just think the joke is disgusting."

"That's the point though." Finn said. "I loved the movie."

"You would."

"Now that hurts, you know me a total of three days and already the judging has started." Rory rolled her eyes. She grabbed a napkin from her pocket and handed it to Lexi before she dripped on Rory's sweater.

"I just think from what I know about you. You would love 'The Aristocrats'"

"So did Logan and Colin."

"I never said I didn't like it." Rory said. "It was just..."

"Disgusting, I know. You've said that already. But you've got to admit it was funny."

"Yeah, it was funny. You wore me down, Finn." She said sarcastically. Finn just laughed.

"So where are you off to right now?" He asked finishing his ice cream and throwing away the cone paper.

"Home, I've got to go get ready for a dinner from hell and I've also got to get Lexi ready. You?"

"Home as well, you know, the guys and I as well as Steph head down to the pub around ten."

"To scope out the chicks?" Lexi laughed as she sucked on her ice cream instead of licking.

"No, to drink and to scope out, as you as put it, 'the chicks.' But Steph is going to be there, so it's not just us guys if you want to come by after your dinner"

"I don't think so, Finn. I think... I don't know" She shrugged.

"What's stopping you?"

"You know I'm not going to succumb to any of your advances. Just because I'm emotionally vulnerable doesn't mean that I'm going to fall right into your arms."

"Well," Finn said faking offended, "I didn't know the world revolved around you."

"I didn't know you were desperate enough to hit on a newly divorced woman." Finn smirked.

"Well, if you decide to come, get smashed and forget about the dinner from hell…" He grabbed something from his wallet and handed it to her. Rory looked at it and laughed.

"Your card?"

"It's not as crazy as it seems." He defended. Rory just laughed and put it in her purse. Finn walked her to her car. She strapped Lexi into the car seat, closed the door and turned back to Finn.

"We would really like it if you came." Finn said, trying to get her to come.

"Chances are, Finn, that I am going to go home, curl up in bed and sleep off the dinner from hell."

"Does any of that involve crying?" Rory frowned and crossed her arms over her chest.

"So what if it does? A girl has the right to cry."

"Yes, she does. But not because of a bastard like that."

"Yeah, well, he was my bastard for seven years. I think I have the right." Finn put his hands up in surrender.

"Retract the claws, love, all I'm saying is that misery loves company. So if you find yourself alone and wanting talk, you know where to find me." Rory ran a hand through her hair.

"Thank you, but I think I'm going to stick to my original plan. Curl up with some Jane Austen, maybe watch a bit of Dawson's Creek. Things don't seem as bad after you watch that show."

"I'd go with the Passion of the Christ." Rory smiled.

"Thank you for the invitation. I'll take a rain check though."

"Call me if you need ride. I'll stay sober till you call." Rory just laughed and hugged him, catching Finn off guard.

"Thank you." He kissed her cheek and gave a nod.

"Welcome."

"I've got to get…"

"Going, right." He finished for her "I'll talk to you later, love."

"Bye, Finn." Rory got in her car and pulled out giving Finn one last wave before driving off. Finn sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "What the hell was wrong with him?" He thought as he started walking towards his apartment.

He wasn't supposed to become so attached. Especially not to a girl, especially not one that came from good breeding. For god's sake, she was a Gilmore. Logan, Colin and he did a particularly good job of staying away from anyone that would be approved for the marriage council aka their parents. They weren't commitment guys. They were more the 'that blonde looks fuckable' kind of guys. So when the hell had he started looking for a commitment? And when the hell had he fallen for the newly divorced brunette?

He gave a growl of frustration as he forcibly pushed the elevator button to the apartment he shared with Logan and Colin and leaned his head back on cool surface of the metal walls. He was damned if his mother ever found out about his quasi-friendship with one Lorelai Leigh Gilmore. They'd be planning the fucking wedding before he even had a chance to turn around. Damned. He walked into the apartment and went straight to his room slamming the door, ignoring the looks of his friends and falling on to his bed. When did he change?

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

Rory looked at her grandparents' house and gave a sigh as she leaned her head against the headrest and closed her eyes. She could hear Lexi muttering to herself and smiled, but faded as soon as she remembered why she was here. This was definitely going to be hell. She heard her mother's car pull up behind her. Almost fifteen years with that damn thing and the brakes still squeaked.

"Rowy, we go in?" Rory nodded and turned around unbuckling the car seat. She got out of the car and went around opening Lexi's door and letting her run up to greet her father as he got out of the car.

"Daddy!" She said as she launched herself to his leg. Rory watched Luke smile and pick up his daughter. Lorelai kissed Lexi's head and looked over at Rory. Rory smiled and went over to them.

"Hey."

"Hey." Rory said. She smiled at Luke. "Hi, dad." She said kissing his cheek.

"Hey, how are you?" He said rubbing her arm in a fatherly gesture.

"I'm fine, better."

"Finn!" Lexi said with a smile.

"Finn?" Lorelai asked.

"A friend of mine that we ran into. He took us out for ice cream."

"That was sweet."

"Lexi is very fond of him." Rory said nudging her mother who laughed.

"Jeez." Luke muttered. "Come on, Lex, let's get away from the crazy women." Rory and Lorelai laughed as they followed him.

"Does Luke know, mom?" She whispered as they hung back.

"He knows that you and Dean are getting divorced, but not why."

"I just hope that when he finds out, he won't make a scene."

"Nothing can be as bad as the time he put Dean in a headlock." Rory gave a nod. Just as she was about to reply, the door opened.

"Well, it's about time you got here."

"Traffic was bad, mom." Lorelai answered.

"Well. get in, get in." They walked in and took off their coats. Luke helped Lexi out of hers, once she was out of it she ran into the living room to greet her grandfather.

"Rory, where's Dean tonight?" Emily asked as Rory hung her coat up.

"Oh… um… he's not coming tonight, grandma." Rory said quietly hoping her grandmother wasn't going to push it.

"What, is he at work or something?" But then again she _was _Emily Gilmore.

"I don't know, grandma."

"What do you mean you don't know, how can you not know where your husband is?" It wasn't a secret that neither Emily nor Richard approved of the marriage. It was just that Richard was much more discreet with his disdain while Emily subtly made jabs at him with a fire poker of insults.

"Mom, let it go." Lorelai said as she caught the look Rory was giving her.

"I just want to know…"

"I'll tell you and grandpa later, grandma. For now just let it go. Please?" Rory said forcibly running a hand through her hair. Emily looked at Rory in surprise as did Luke and Lorelai. Rory never spoke to her grandmother that way.

"Okay." Emily said as she turned and walked into the living room.

"And now she's pissed." Rory said leaning against the wall. Lorelai told Luke to go to the living room, then turned back to Rory.

"No, she not; she's just surprised is all."

"I just wanted her to let it go." Rory said, her voice cracking. She covered her face with her hands as the tears spilled. "I don't even want to be here." Lorelai hugged her.

"I know, sweetie. But think of it this way, it can't get any worse."

"Let's hope not." Rory muttered as she wiped her eyes.

"Come on, let's get this over with." Rory nodded and followed her mother into the living room.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

Dinner was filled with idle chit chat, filled with talk of school and work. Rory sat quietly and only talked when addressed. She really didn't feel like talking much. She picked at her food and smiled a bit when her mother made sarcastic comments that went over her grandmother's head.

"Well, while desert is being prepared, Rory, why don't you explain why your husband isn't gracing us with his presence tonight?" Emily said. Rory sighed.

"He just isn't, grandma."

"Rory, really now." Richard said. "Tell us where is he."

"I don't know where he is." Rory said getting frustrated. She didn't want to tell them that she was getting divorced, she didn't want to tell them that Dean was probably off fucking Lindsay and she didn't want to tell them that she had known for whole five years that he had been doing it.

"Are you two fighting again? You're always fighting." Emily said.

"Yes, grandma, we're fighting." Rory said hoping it would get her grandmother off her back.

"Why are you fighting, Rory?" "And then the other one jumps on." Rory thought as she turned to her grandfather. Might as well just tell them.

"Cause we're getting a divorce." Rory said. Everything was quiet. Rory would have bet that if the maid dropped a pin it would be heard all over the house. Rory sighed and leaned back in her chair. All she wanted to do was go home and sleep.

"Why?" Rory looked over at her grandmother who had spoken.

"Why what?" Rory asked trying to play dumb.

"The divorce, Rory. Why are you getting the divorce?"

"I'd rather not talk about it. It's fairly new."

"Hear that, Richard, it's fairly new. Like she just bought a car."

"Hey, mom, chill." Lorelai said trying the get her mother from making a scene.

"Chill? Chill? Your daughter is getting a divorce, Lorelai."

"I'm very well aware of my daughter's divorce. But if she doesn't want to talk about it, then she won't"

"Well, sorry if I want to know why my granddaughter is getting divorced after only being married a month."

"Leave it alone."

"We deserve to know, Lorelai." Richard said. "Seeing as we paid for a wedding we never approved of."

"Rory never asked you to pay in the first place and if she doesn't want to talk about it, then don't make her." Lorelai argued.

"We just want to know." Emily argued right back.

"He was cheating on me!" Rory yelled. She looked up and saw the stunned faces of three Gilmores, a Danes and an oblivious Lexi. She ran a hand through her hair and got up.

"I have to go." Rory said walking out of the dining room. She grabbed her coat and keys and made her way to her car.

"Rory," her mother ran after her as she got in her car. Rory rolled down windows as Lorelai got down. "You sure you're okay to drive?"

"I'll be fine." Rory said. "I just need to get home. I want to go home." Lorelai nodded.

"Okay. Call me, please." Rory gave a nod as she started the car and drove off, leaving her worried mother behind her. She drove home and tried hard not to think of what her grandparents were probably saying, the things she would have to listen to over the phone for days, how they were right about Dean and she was wrong. She parked in front of the building complex and walked through the lobby and pushed for the elevator. It immediately opened for her.

She walked in and pushed for the tenth floor and leaned against the cool surface of metal as she waited to get to her apartment. She wanted to get in her pajamas, curl up in bed and watch romantic comedies that would make her cry so that she had an excuse to cry without Paris questioning her. The doors opened and she walked down the hall. She went through her purse for her keys. Once they were found, she opened the door and walked in placing her keys in the little bowl on the table next to the door.

"Rory?" Rory smiled at Paris's voice.

"I'm here." Paris rushed out of her room.

"I didn't know he was here, I swear. I didn't let him in."

"What?" Paris bit her lip.

"When I came back, he was here. I tried getting him out."

"Who?"

"Dean." Paris whispered. Rory stared at her.

"What?"

"I even gave him my menacing glare, but, Rory, he refused to leave. I've tried everything. The cops are on their way." Rory closed her eyes and went straight to her room. She opened the door and sure enough he was there, sitting at her desk chair. He stood up and looked at her. She threw her purse and coat on the bed and crossed her arms.

"Rory."

"Get out." Rory said pointing down the hall. "We said everything we had to say last night. I'm signing the papers. Now get out and go back to Lindsay."

"I don't want Lindsay."

"Get out!"

"Rory, please listen to me. Please." Paris stayed in the living room just in case.

"Get out!"

"I love you, Rory."

"No, you don't. I refuse to turn away from this again. I am not going to deal with this anymore. You cheated on me for five years. And I'm tired, Dean. Now get out!" She yelled.

"Dammit, Rory! I need you!"

"No, you need a bed partner. Now I'm not going to tell you again. GET OUT!" Dean glared at her and left knowing there was no dealing with her.

"This isn't over, Rory."

"It is, Dean." Rory said. Just as he had his hand on the door knob, Rory called his name. "Oh, and Dean?" He turned and saw her standing near her bedroom door, her arms crossed over her chest. His eyes filled with hope.

"I want you and that slut out of my apartment by the end of the week." With that said she went to her room and slammed the door. Paris smirked.

"You heard her, get out!" Dean glared at the blonde and left slamming the door behind him.

Rory leaned against her door and slid down, her knees to her chest, and began to cry. She couldn't take it anymore All of it was emotionally draining her and she couldn't handle it. Not alone. She wiped her tears and went to her bed. She curled up and saw a white piece of paper on her bed, face down. She turned it over and looked at it.

_**Finnegan E. Rothschild**_

_**Home: 555-8963**_

_**Cell: 554-9874**_

Rory smiled and grabbed her cell. She could go for a drink.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

Finn sat at their usual booth and fiddled with his drink. He still hadn't drunk anything in hopes for her call, but his friend were all knocking them back. He looked towards the door, then down at his cell, just in case he missed her call.

"Who ya looking for there, Finn?" Colin asked. Finn looked at them and they were all smirking at him.

"No one."

"You sure it's not the young, newly divorced, blue-eyed, brunette beauty?" Steph asked with a smile.

"No." Finn answered, but he looked back towards the door as it opened, only to be disappointed by a redhead walking in. It seemed that it was only weeks ago that he had been in love with them.

"You sure?" Logan teased.

"I'm sure." Finn said. Just then his cell phone lit up and before he could answer it, Logan grabbed it and answered.

"Hello? Yes, this is his cell phone. Tell him Rory called? Well, you can tell him yourself." Logan smirked and handed Finn the phone. Finn grabbed it.

"Hello?"

"Finn?"

"Rory, love." He said standing up to go outside and talk. His friend gave out an 'ohhhhhhh' while Colin started singing 'Rory and Finn sitting in a tree k-i-s-s-i-n-g' Finn flipped them off and went outside.

"Hey, are you busy or..."

"No, not at all. Still sober."

"You waited?"

"Of course I did. Told you I would. So how was dinner?"

"It didn't disappoint. It was the dinner from hell. And you know, I could definitely use a drink."

"Well then, tell me where you live and I'll go pick you up." He heard Rory sigh.

"Finn?"

"Yes, love?"

"Thanks." Before he could respond she was rattling off her address and he made his way to his car.


	7. Safety Net

_**Part 7: Safety Net**_

Rory grabbed her jacket and purse off her bed and made her way to the living room where Paris and Doyle were watching C-SPAN. She put it on and fixed her collar, then grabbed her purse.

"Where are you off to?" Paris asked.

"Out." Rory answered evasively.

"I would feel better if I knew where you were going." Pairs said.

"I'm going to the campus pub with friends. Don't wait up." Rory said as she grabbed her keys and left. She made her way to the elevator and pushed for the lobby. She checked her purse. Keys, cell and wallet as well as lip gloss and a compact. She made her way through the lobby and walked out. When she looked up she saw Finn already sitting on the hood of his car with a smirk firmly in place.

"Okay, how many speeding laws did you break to get here?" Rory asked with a smirk of her own.

"Wouldn't you like to know." Finn said. Rory just shook her head with a smile. He went around and opened her door. She slid into his silver BMW. He went around and slid in to the driver's side and drove off down the road.

"I'm glad you decided to come out tonight, love." Finn said as he made a sharp turn.

"I had just gotten home and believe me, the last thing I wanted to do when I got home was go out. I was all ready to run a bath and relax, put on my PJs and just read."

"Then what happened to the plan?"

"I received a visitor." Was all she said. Finn gave a nod as he parked in front of the pub. He turned off the ignition and got out of the car, then went around her side and opened her door. "Thanks." He gave a nod and closed the door as she fixed the back of her skirt. They walked towards the pub and she noticed what he was wearing. He had on a very casual, brown, long-sleeved shirt with a leather jacket over and some faded jeans. Rich casual was what she classified it. He opened the door of the pub for her and led her to the table. Logan and Colin were already knocking them back when they sat down.

"Ah... coffee girl." Colin said as he took another drink from his glass.

"Coffee girl?" Rory asked confused.

"You went out for coffee with Finn." Logan said.

"I remember having coffee, not going out." Rory said. Finn just looked down. Was he embarrassed? She decided to save him. "But I do remember the offer about getting so horribly drunk that I will not be able to remember anything from this night."

"Name your poison." Finn said as he stood up.

"Long Island Iced Tea. Make it a really, really big glass." Finn gave a nod and went towards the bar.

"So how long have you guys been here?" Rory asked. Logan looked at his watch.

"Since about eight." He responded.

"Starting early there." Rory laughed.

Colin lifted his glass. "No better time to start." Finn came back and set down the large glass in front of her and had his own glass of Foster's in front of him.

"So what are we drinking to this round?" Colin asked raising his glass. Finn considered for a moment, then raised his own glass.

"To friends and good health."

"Didn't we toast to that last time?" Logan asked. Colin gave a shrug as they all clinked glasses.

"So where's Steph?" Rory asked as she set her glass down without drinking.

"She went off with the bartender a few minutes before you guys came in." Colin said. Rory gave a nod. Just as she was going to take a sip of her drink she heard her cell phone ring. She groaned. It's as if god knew she was trying to drink away her shitty night.

"Don't answer." Finn said catching her glance to her ringing purse. Rory took out her phone anyway and sighed.

"It's my mom." Rory said and answered. "Mom?"

"Luke came back pissed, Ror."

"Sorry. I swear I didn't mean to tell him that way."

"No, Ror, he was out to kill. You should've seen his eyes, they were red and gleaming. He kicked EVERYONE out of the diner when we got back. Even Kirk who wasn't even inside!"

"I'm so sorry."

"That's not the best part."

"I didn't even know this was good." Rory muttered.

"No, see... You know how when he's really, really mad he starts to pace? Back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, back and forth?"

"I get the picture." Rory said stopping her.

"Right, anyway, he's doing that and guess who's stupid enough to pull up in front of the diner?"

"Taylor!" Rory guessed.

"Close. Though it would have been funny if it was. No, Dean!"

"What?" Rory asked sitting up straight.

"Dean pulled up to the diner just as pissed. He was about to come in when Luke just threw him out."

"Oh god." Rory said covering her forehead with her hand and putting her elbow on the table. She was starting to get a nasty headache. She really wanted to just drink something, but knew it was better to stay sober for this conversation.

"He did not just throw him out, he now has him in a headlock in the middle of the street and pounding him."

"MOM!"

"What? The bastard deserves it."

"Stop them!"

"Rory."

"I mean it. Get dad off of him."

"He cheated."

"I don't give a flying fuck what the hell he did. Get Luke off of Dean!" She heard her mother growl in dissatisfaction and stomp out of the diner. She could hear the conversation. They were all yelling.

"Luke, get off!"

"He hurt Rory!"

"Luke, off now!" Lorelai barked. Rory could literally hear her father shove Dean onto the ground.

"Stay away from Rory." She heard him say.

"I'm glad to be rid of the bitch."

"Did you hear him?" Lorelai asked.

"Yes, I did. Leave him alone. Get dad in the diner."

"Luke, come on. Inside."

"But he..."

"Rory's orders, come on. We'll clean up your lip."

"Dean punched him?" Yep, definitely a headache.

"Your father got in a few good ones as well" Lorelai answered. "I don't see why you just don't let Luke beat the shit out of him."

"I'm twenty-two, mother. I don't need my father fighting my battles anymore."

"I never said you did. Oh, oh, I know that hurt, sorry." Her mother cooed at her father. "What I'm saying, Rory, is that we hate to see you hurt. You're hurting right now and your father would love to beat the shit out of the little punk that did the hurting."

"I know. But I can take care of it, okay?"

"Rory."

"I'll take care of it. Just leave it alone and stay out of my personal life, mom. Jeez."

"Hey, hey, what's with the 'tude. I'm your mother, remember?"

"Crappy night. Really crappy night."

"I know. I guess a play by play didn't make it better."

"Shit, his key." Rory muttered.

"What?"

"That's how he got in. Shit."

"That's how who got in where, Rory?"

"Dean. When I got home Paris said that he had gotten in somehow, she didn't even know. His key. Shit, now we have to change the locks. God."

"Everything will get better, Rory."

"Yeah, I guess."

"I swear."

"I'm just know I'm going to have a very bad week."

"There's my little pessimistic Rory."

"I have finals all week, work all week, call the lawyer and the hangover I'll have tomorrow isn't going to help any. Is it good to drink if you have a headache?" Rory wondered ignoring the three pairs of listening ears.

"You're drinking?"

"I was about to, then you called. I have a very large glass of Long Island Iced Tea sitting in front of me, but I am seriously reconsidering at the moment." She muttered

"Are you with Paris?"

"No, Paris never drinks on Friday nights."

"Rory, I hope you're not drinking alone?"

"No, I'm with some guy friends from school."

"Oh. Are they hot Latin men?"

"No... though one's an Australian."

"Does he have a sexy accent?"

"Yep."

"Well then, drink up." Her mother said causing Rory to laugh. "Look, babe, I know everything seems like it's going to the crapper at the moment. A divorce and the termination of a seven-year relationship."

"Jeez, was it really seven?" Rory rubbed her temples. "I was with him a long time." She muttered just realizing how long it really had been.

"I know, and then the grandparents' utter disbelief and disapproval. And the stress of school."

"Thanks for reminding me about the Gilmores." Rory said with a roll of her eyes.

"But it will all get better."

"How do you know?"

"I just do. I mean, look at me and Chris."

"What about you two? Your relationship went to the crapper. So did the relationships with Max and Jason and Alex. God, what happened to him?"

"Not important. I was making a point."

"Right, a point. Can you get to it, please?"

"The point is I found Luke. You know, your dad." Rory sighed.

"Yeah and?"

"The point is we all found that someone and life gets better. Dean wasn't that person and you knew that for a long time. But he's your safety net."

"Yeah, but now I don't have one."

"Doesn't matter. Cause out there there's a person willing to be not only your safety net, but your someone."

"But what do I do without a safety net?"

"You are taking this metaphor out of context. You sure you haven't been drinking?"

"I'm sure. I'm just..." Rory sighed. "Thinking out loud I guess."

"Ror, you know we're all here for you. You're beloved in this town. Dean in going to be shunned like no tomorrow once this all gets out."

"I don't want it getting out." Rory said sitting up straight and getting out of the booth, all of sudden wanting privacy. She walked out into the chilly night and leaned up against the wall. "I do not want this getting out, mom."

"Rory..."

"No. This is my life, remember? My very private life. I do not want this getting out and making me look like more of a fool."

"You are not a fool."

"I'm going to talk to Dean. We'll have a very quiet divorce. The reasons cannot get out."

"You're lying to yourself." Rory frowned and walked away from the pub.

"He cheated on me, mom. For five years, more than that. God. And I knew. I knew the whole time, but didn't do anything. I do not want to be made into the idiot of this ordeal. You will put a stop to all the rumors."

"Rory, you know that once Miss Patty and Babette start going..."

"Please. mom. I'm begging you. Put a stop to any rumor that goes around. Please."

"You know I will, Rory. It's just… the reasons are going to come out sooner or later. Why not shoot for the sooner than the later?"

"Please."

"Yeah."

"Thanks. I've got to go. I think I'm going to head home."

"What about the Aussie and the Iced Tea?"

"I, all of a sudden, don't feel like being around people."

"You always did like your solitude."

"Yeah, I'll call you later."

"Okay, love you."

"Love you too." Rory said as she hung up. She hugged herself as she sat down on the bench and leaned back defeated. God, she was just tired. She was emotionally and physically tired. She should have stayed home.

"Love?" Rory looked up and saw Finn looking down at her.

"Sorry, I'm not the best of company at the moment, Finn."

Finn dismissed the comment with a wave of his hand. "Don't worry about it. Want me to take you home?"

"I can take a cab. I've put you out too much tonight."

"Cabs are dangerous at night. I'll take you home."

"I'm serious, Finn. I don't care, I can take a cab home." Finn just gave a shake of his head and went back towards the pub dragging her along. He went back to the table and grabbed his keys and jacket.

"I'll see you guys back at the apartment." Finn said. Logan and Colin just raised their glasses and took their shots as Finn and Rory made their way back out.

"Finn, I'm dead serious. Go back and drink with your friends."

"You are a friend."

"How did we get to the friend status?" Rory asked, more herself than him.

Finn stopped and turned to her. "I thought..."

"No, I didn't mean... I just.." Rory sighed "We've known each other a total of two days. You've seen me yell at my now ex-husband. You've been great and... Yeah, I guess that is a friendship."

Finn smiled. "And friends give other friends rides."

"Yes, they do, Finn. And while I love the fact that you are willing to drive me back and forth because I cannot make up my god damn mind, I really don't want to put you out."

"Trust me, you're not. Now get in the car, love." Rory sighed and got in the car. He closed her door and went around to the driver's side. Rory Gilmore was definitely a stubborn girl. He'd have to remember that.


	8. The 411 on Rory Gilmore

_**Part 8: The 411 on Rory Gilmore**_

Rory had been busy all week just as she had told her mom. She had worked at _Lilly's_, worked at the YDN, worked on her piles and piles of homework, had a meeting with her lawyer and, amazingly, still had time to talk to her mother and have those odd and pointless conversations with her.

She pulled her jacket tighter around her as she walked to _Lilly's_ to start her shift. She only had to work three hours that day. It was easy enough. She walked in and was greeted by a blast of warm air and a smile from Lilly herself.

"Rory, hello." Lilly said as she hung up the phone. Rory had always admired Lilly. She was a tall, slim woman, with bright green eyes and long black hair. She had amazing taste in clothes and was the nicest woman one could meet.

"Hi, Lilly." Rory greeted as she took of her jacket and hung it in the back. Rory sat down at the counter while Lilly fussed with the clothing racks. Rory now saw the resemblance between her and Finn.

"How was your week, dear?"

"I'm guessing you heard about the divorce?" Rory said with a sigh. Lilly sent a sad smile her way.

"You all right?" Rory now heard the accent as well and had to smile.

"Yes, I'm fine. I've had very caring friends looking after me."

"Paris and Julie are great women."

"Yes, they are, but I met some interesting characters the other day."

"Really, dear?"

"Yes, they came in here the other day shopping."

"I'm guessing women." Lilly laughed.

"No. Well, yes. One and three guys."

"And you've befriended them?"

"More like they've taken me under their wing." Rory laughed. "You actually know one."

"Do I?" Lilly asked walking to the counter and leaning against it.

"He goes by the name of Finn." Lilly laughed and turned towards Rory.

"You've met Eugene?"

Rory smiled. "He's nice."

"That he is."

"He's always calling, making sure I'm getting enough to eat, going out."

Lilly frowned. "Why's that?"

"He was there when Dean and I fought. We were at the Pub. He and his friend are very nice."

"Logan and Colin?"

"Yes, and Stephanie."

"The Merdock girl, right?"

Rory nodded. "Yes."

"Well, I'm glad you've taken a liking to them."

"They're great." The bell over the door rang.

"You're late." Both Lilly and Rory said to Julie who had the deer-caught-in-the-headlights look.

"God, don't you people have anything better to do than time me?"

"Oh, we do. Just not at this moment." Lilly said as Julie hung up her coat. Rory smiled and started her work.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

"Where are you off to today, _Eugene_?" Logan asked as Finn put on his shirt and started buttoning it up.

"You're lucky I'm in a rush, mate, or I would have thrown the gel bottle at you."

"Oh, I'm so scared." Logan said dryly. "What I don't understand is why you even want to have lunch with your mother." Finn rolled his eyes. Logan just didn't understand that it was his father he had problems with, not his mother. Surprisingly, he and his mother were very close.

"I haven't talked to my mum in a while, Logan."

"You just want to pump information out of her about the Gilmore chick." This time Finn did chuck the gel bottle, narrowly missing Logan's head. Logan just laughed as he walked down the hall. It was so easy to get Finn riled up.

He knew Finn had something for the Gilmore girl. The fact that he stayed sober for her call last week gave them all a clue, or the fact that he called her everyday to make sure she was all right. Or the fact that he always took the long way to the apartment so he could pass his mother's clothing shop just to get a glimpse of Miss Gilmore. He chuckled as he sat down on the couch next to Colin and switched the channel from the news to Buffy.

"Hey, I was watching that."

"Colin, my friend, what's better, some old chick telling you that it's sunny outside or Sarah Michelle Gellar in leather pants and a low neck t-shirt?" Colin contemplated and sighed.

"Fine, Buffy it is."

"Thank you."

"All right, I'm out." Finn said grabbing his jacket. "I'll see you guys later."

"Have fun." Logan called. Finn shook his head as he walked out of the apartment.

They really didn't understand the family he had. Logan's family was interested in name and power and what a woman can bring into the Huntzberger's family. They didn't want someone who had aspirations, but a woman who would be happy just being an arm charm. Colin's family, well... didn't give a damn one way or another. Just as long as she had the name and money to go with it.

But his… the Morgan Rothschilds said they wanted Finn to be happy, that was his mother. She always said that if he found that woman that made him smile and laugh and made him happy they would both welcome her with open arms. But his father wanted a woman that had the name, the money, the status.

Finn... well, he wasn't sure what the hell he wanted. But for some reason it came back to Rory Gilmore. He shook the thoughts out of his head as he walked into his mother's store.

"Wait. Did Miss Reynolds come for that order?" He heard his mother ask.

"I helped her." A woman said, he recognized her as Julie.

"I saw her come in too. She even asked for you." Rory replied coming out from the back. She looked up and smiled. "Hey, Finn."

"Hello, Rory. Is my mum in?"

Rory nodded. "In the back. She'll be out in a minute."

"I could have sworn we had two of that dress." His mother said coming out. "Oh, Finn. I'll be out in a minute."

"Take your time, mum."

"Sweet boy." She said ruffling the hair he had spent an hour on. He saw Rory stifling a laugh as the phone rang. She picked it up.

"Lilly's."

"Ha, found it!" Julie said coming out with a dress.

"I knew there were two. Take it and put it in the Morris rack. She's coming to pick up her orders next Monday."

"I've told you a million times, mom, not to call me here... yeah... ten minutes." Rory hung up. "Sorry."

"It's fine, dear. I'm going to go to lunch. When I get back, you and Julie can take yours" Lilly said as Finn grabbed her jacket and helped her put it on.

"No problem." Rory said as she headed for the back. "Bye, Finn."

"Bye, Rory." Finn said as he held the door open and his mother walked out. He walked out after her and they started down the sidewalk to a little Italian restaurant down the street.

"I was pleasantly surprised when I got a call from my son saying he wanted to have lunch."

"I missed you, mum."

"I highly doubt that." She said with a laugh as they walked into the restaurant.

"Two?" the waiter asked.

"Yes, please." Lilly said as they were shown to the table. Finn pulled out a chair for her and pushed it in as she sat down. Finn sat down across from her. They gave their drink orders to the waiter.

Lilly turned towards her son and flashed him a smile. "What do you want, Eugene?"

Finn winced at the name, but continued to scan the menu. "Whatever made you think I wanted something, mother?"

"You wanted to have lunch?"

"Correct."

"With your mother?"

"Right."

"On a school day?"

"It's not high school, mother. I felt like spending time with you."

"Little ol' me?" She teased.

"Mother."

"You know, I heard the most interesting thing today." Lilly said pushing her menu aside. She rested her elbows on the table, resting her chin on the palm of her hand. A move Miss Manners would be disgusted by. But seeing as she was in the company of her son, who was slouching in his chair, she decided it would be best to be comfortable. She just smiled at him.

"Really? What did you hear?" Finn asked sitting up a bit to take off his jacket.

"That you've befriended Rory Gilmore." Finn paused his movements for a second, then continued.

"Yes, we're friends."

"I heard that you've been calling her, making sure she goes out, eats. I say you have feelings for the girl."

"Way to be blunt, mother."

"Well, do you?"

"I barely know her."

"Ahh."

"Ahh? What ahh?"

"Ahh. You want me to give you the background information." Finn was about to protest, but the waiter came. Lilly ordered for the both of them and shooed the waiter away. "So what do you want to know?"

"I don't want to know anything. And I could have ordered for myself." Lilly waved him off.

"I've always ordered for the both of us, no need to stop with tradition. Now tell mummy what you want to know."

"My god, mum, can't a guy just want to have lunch with his mother?"

"No. Now what do you want to know?"

"Nothing... everything. Dammit." Lilly smiled a triumphant smile while Finn laid his head on the table defeated.

"Her name is Lorelai Leigh Gilmore the Third."

"I know that." Finn said raising his head. Lilly rolled her eyes.

"Her mother is Lorelai Victoria Gilmore the Second, her father is Christopher Hayden."

"I heard Luke." Finn argued.

"Let me finish." Lilly said. "Now where was I... Ah, yes. Christopher Hayden, but they never married. Lorelai went to marry a man by the name of Luke Danes last year. And Christopher married as well. A woman by the name of Sherri Tinsdale. They had a daughter, Georgia. Gigi for short. But when the child turned one, Sherri went to Paris and left the two alone."

"Yes, that's all great, mother, but what does this have to do with Rory?"

"It's her background, Finn. Now, Rory went to Chilton for three years, graduated Valedictorian in 2003. She attends Yale as you know; she's on the newspaper and is studying to be a journalist. She's a hard worker, always on time and handles even the worst of customers graciously and never complains. Well, at least not to me."

"I don't think she's the type to talk behind a person's back, mum."

"Neither do I. She lives in an apartment near the park with her friend Paris Geller and Paris's boyfriend Doyle. She owns that apartment, along with one in her small hometown of Stars Hollow."

"How do you know all of this?" Finn asked quite surprised with all she knew. He was expecting just some little tidbits from Rory's application, not her whole life story.

"I've got ears, don't I?"

"Yes, but…"

"People talk. Especially when friends with Richard and Emily Gilmore. They talk about nothing unless it's about that girl. Anyway, she was in a relationship with Dean Forrester. And as you know they are getting divorced. I have yet to get the information as to why, though."

Finn opened his mouth to tell her, but decided against it. Rory had told him as a friend. His mother not only got the biggest gossip, but was one of the main people to spread it as well.

"And that's about all I know."

"That's it?" Finn asked sarcastically as their food came. The sarcasm went unnoticed.

"What more is there to know, Finn?"

"Never mind, mum."

"So you like this girl?"

"She's nice. But like I said, I barely know her."

"Maybe it's time you get to know her. Your father would be happy with her."

"I don't care what dad would be happy with." Lily reached over and grabbed her son's hand.

"I know, love. All I'm saying is not only you would be happy, but so would he."

Finn gave a nod. "She just got divorced, mum."

"I know."

"She's not ready to jump into a relationship and, frankly, neither am I." Finn said "Do not try and set us up."

Lilly gasped in surprise. "Whatever gave you that idea!"

Finn rolled his eyes. "I mean it, mum. I just want to be her friend."

"Fine, fine, so how's school?"

Finn gave a sigh and answered the question. Knowing his mother, she was going to call the Gilmore's the minute they went their separate ways. And damn if he knew how he felt about it.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

**_A.N.:_** Thanks for all the reviews, guys! I'm glad you're all enjoying the story! I hope you all had a Happy Turkey day! Gobble. Gobble! Now all you have to do to make my five day weekend a great one is press the shiny purple button! Go on, you know you want to!

Kassandra


	9. A Family Dinner?

**_Part 9: A Family Dinner?_**

"What are your plans for tonight?" Finn asked as they put on the jackets and made their way out and back towards the store.

"I have a party to attend. I so wish you would go."

"Is father going to be there?"

"Of course he is. Where else would he be?"

"Then I'd rather not."

"Suit yourself. But I still wish you would at least say hello. I think the Huntzbergers and Bradshaws are going to be there."

"I'm fine, mum."

"Okay." His mother said with a smile as she looped her arm in his and they walked the rest of the way to the store.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

Rory gathered her things and put on her jacket ready to go home after a hard day's work. She had worked her three hours. And thanked the lords above that was all she had to work that day. She was packing up her purse just as Lilly and Finn walked in.

"Rory, are you leaving?" Lilly asked.

"My shift is done. Going home."

"Get some sleep, love, you look tired."

"I am. I'll be sure to try and make it to the bed."

Lilly smiled as she took off her coat. "Are you working tomorrow?"

"No, I work Saturday night."

"Well, I'll see you next week then. Julie, you can take your break!" Lilly shouted.

"Thank god." They heard her say. Rory smiled.

"I'll see you guys later." Rory said with a wave. She smiled at Finn as she left.

"I'll see you later, mum."

"Good bye, Eugene." His mother called with a smile. "Oh, and be sure to invite her for dinner!" Fin scowled as he left the shop and caught up with Rory.

"You didn't say hi." She jumped in surprise as he whispered it in her ear.

"I smiled." She said after she recovered.

"Smiling doesn't equal a 'Hello, Finn'."

"To me it does. Don't you have some other girl to bother?"

"Nope, you're it for the day."

"That is quite sad." She teased.

"Come on, you love it."

"That's right, Finn, I pine for you when I'm alone in my room."

"I hope that's not all you do." He smirked. Rory pushed him.

"That's crossing it, Finn."

"Sorry, so where are you off to today?"

"Home. I've got some papers to write for my English class. And an article for the YDN."

"How 'bout coffee?"

"As much as I would love to, Finn, I really do have to get home. I have dinner with my grandparents tonight and right now I just want to get these papers off the way before entering the lion's den."

"Are you all right?"

"Fine, why?"

"You seem snappy today."

"Finn, I've had a very hard week and I still have to go through this weekend. If I make it to Monday, it will be a miracle."

"Rory, stop!" He said grabbing her arms. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong. I just want to get home without nosy Australians making it harder for me." She said. Finn would have taken offence had it been someone else. But this was Rory, so he smirked instead.

"I don't think my nose is big."

"I never said your nose was… ugh…"

"You said nosy."

"You snoop."

"Now I'm a dog?"

"Oh, shut up." Rory said, a smile gracing her lips.

"There's the smile I know and love."

"Shut up, Finn."

"Now, will you tell me what's going on?"

"Nothing. I'm just stressed. I have papers among papers to write, a meeting with my lawyer tomorrow to go over divorce papers. I have to clear out some stuff at the apartment and sell it."

"You're selling your apartment here?"

"No, the one in Stars Hollow. I'm going to move out of the one there and sell it."

"Why?"

"I'm rarely in Stars Hollow and when I am, I stay at my mom's house. Plus how can I sleep on that bed now?"

"Right."

"And I was thinking of maybe moving out of the one here. Finding my own place."

"Why?"

"My god, you're curious today."

"Just call me George, love." He teased. He watched her smile again.

"Paris and Doyle are at that point in their relationship where they want to be alone."

"Sex fiends?"

"No, Doyle's going to propose. And I don't feel right if I live there when they're married."

"Well, shouldn't they get their own place? I mean you own that apartment."

"My grandparents own it." Rory corrected. "And they're not really happy with me right now."

"They love you."

"No, believe me, I'm not the highest on their list right now."

"I doubt that."

"Finn, I'm the perfect granddaughter. Then I go and marry a guy they happen to hate. Believe me, they hated him. Then I get divorced at the end of the month because he cheated on me, like they said he would. They're not fond of me right now."

"What if I go to dinner with you."

"What?" Rory asked, her eyes widening.

"I'll go to dinner with you."

"No, Finn, you really do not have to do that."

"Really, love, I'll go with you. That way you have someone to lean on if it gets to be too much. Then, if you're feeling really bad we'll meet up with Colin and Logan and bar hop."

"Finn," Rory said.

"I'll pick you up at six thirty." He said with a smile. Rory glared at him.

"Finn, you really don't want to go, especially not tonight."

"Yes, I do."

Rory shook her head and sighed "Fine, wear a tux." She said turning around and walking the rest of the way to her car. Finn frowned.

"A tux?"

"Wear it," was all she said. Finn smiled and turned the opposite way towards his own. He would make the best impression on the Gilmore's. He was sure of that.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

"Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit." Rory chanted as she got out of the shower and wrapped a towel around her hair and pulled on her robe. She ran out of the bathroom and into her room. She had been working on her papers the minute she walked into the apartment. She had locked herself in her room, sat in front of her laptop and hadn't even looked at the clock till it was ten past six. That's when she had jumped in the shower and made a two minute shower into a ten minute one.

She heard the doorbell and cursed Finn's inability to be late. "PARIS!" Rory shouted.

"What!"

"Get the door!"

"Why!"

Rory growled as she pulled a brush through her hair. "Because you're sitting in the living room and I have to get ready!"

"He's your date!"

"He's not my… Paris, get the damn door!" Rory yelled in frustration as she pulled out a bright blue strapless dress and pulled it on. She zipped up the back and got on her knees to find the silver heels.

"Ha, there you are, you little bastards." Rory muttered as she pulled them on.

"Do you always talk to your shoes?" Rory looked up and saw Finn standing there in his black tux. His hair was slicked back and his hands were in his pockets. He looked like an Australian version of Prince Charming.

"Finn, have you ever heard of knocking?" Rory asked in annoyance.

"Yes."

"Then why didn't you? I could have been naked."

"And that, love, was a risk I was willing to take."

"Shut up." Rory said as she stood up after strapping on her last heel.

"What time does dinner start, love?"

"Seven."

"It's six forty five." Finn said looking at his watch.

"Shit." Rory said as she went to her nightstand and brushed her hair out. She didn't have time to curl it. She looked down and saw the blue butterfly clip Dean had given her for her sixteenth birthday. She looked for something else to put on, but found nothing. She grabbed it and pulled half of her hair back with the clip and let the rest fall free.

"Let me just put some make up on and we're out of here." Rory said as she ran past him to the bathroom. Finn took the time to appreciate what she was wearing. She was in a blue strapless dress that showed off her pale white shoulders and ended at her knees showing her long legs. She was in silver heels that had three straps. One at her toes, then some jewel decoration connection and the start of her foot. Then one that went around her heel strapping it in place. She looked wonderful.

Finn blinked as she came out of the bathroom with some lip-gloss on her lips and putting on her earring. She went into her room and grabbed a blue purse and a blue wraparound for her shoulders and a necklace.

"Let's go." Rory said putting on the pearl necklace. "I'll be back later, Paris."

"Bye." Paris said. Finn followed her out as she made her way to the elevator.

"Time?" Rory asked wrapping shiny blue fabric around her shoulders.

"Six fifty. Just wondering, love, but I thought that we were having dinner with your grandparents?"

"We are." Rory said as she got on the elevator. Finn followed and pushed the button for the lobby.

"Then why so dressed up?"

"You'll see." Rory said as they reached the lobby. He led her to his car and opened the door for her. She slid in, he closed the door and ran around to his side and got in. He started the car. He made his way into Hartford ten minutes after seven breaking many speeding laws to do so.

"Where to?" He asked. She rattled off the address as she turned off her cell phone. He made his way there when he noticed cars parked out in the front. He went inside the gates and parked in front when a valet came and opened the doors.

"Thanks." He heard Rory say. He handed the keys to the man and got out. The guy got in and drove his car away.

"Why do I feel like you left something out?"

"I tried to warn you." Rory said.

"Rory!" Rory turned and smiled.

"Mom! Dad!" Rory said running up to a woman and man a few feet away.

"We were not going in there alone. My god, you look wonderful." The woman said who Finn assumed was her mother. Rory smiled.

"Thank you. It was just something I had lying around." Rory said with a wave of her hand.

"I figured." Her mother teased.

"Dad, you're in a tux." And the man looked uncomfortable in it Finn thought. He kept fidgeting and pulling at the bow tie.

"Your mother forced me in it."

"Where's Lexi?" Rory asked.

"With Sookie, playing with Martha and Davie." Her mother answered. "Who's that?" She asked. Ror turned and led them over to Finn.

"This is Finn. He's a friend from Yale."

"Oh, the Australian you went drinking with last weekend?"

"Yeah. Finn, this is my mom Lorelai and father Luke."

"Nice to meet you." Finn said shaking their hands.

"Same here." Lorelai said. Luke looked him up and down and gave a nod.

"I didn't know you were bringing anybody." Lorelai said.

"Finn begged to come."

"Really?" Lorelai asked. "I practically begged to get out of it."

"Why would you want to get out of dinner with your parents?" Finn asked.

"It's the annual Gilmore Fall gala… Rory, you didn't tell him?"

"I tried to, but he kept insisting."

"Wait, it's a party?"

"Hence the tux." Rory said. "Don't say I didn't try to warn you." They walked up to the door and Rory rang the doorbell.

What the hell had he gotten himself into? Was what Finn was thinking just as Emily Gilmore opened the door

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

**_A.N:_** I know, I know, horrible place to end it. But I want the next chapter to be the party. Lots of drama there plus appearances from Steph, Logan and Colin!

Also pics of Rory's dress and shoes will be on my blog. It's set as my homepage on my profile or if you're too lazy to go there (I usually am) it's www(dot)kassruvalcabas(dot) blogspot(dot)com…replace the (dot) with real ones. :o

I'll try and update next week! I have lots of ideas for the party.

Kassandra


	10. Watching the Crash

**_A.N: _**Lorelai the first is not dead in the story…. at least not yet, lol.

**_Part 10: Watching the Crash_**

Finn gave a sigh of relief when he saw that it was just the maid and not Emily Gilmore. Rory glanced up at him and frowned.

"Mom, why don't you and Luke go in, I'll be right in."

"Okay." Lorelai said walking inside with Luke. The maid left the door opened a bit for them and Rory turned to Finn.

"Might as well go inside." Finn said pointing inside.

"Finn, you don't have to stay here."

"What are you talking about?"

"I didn't give you much warning about the party and I'm starting to feel guilty about that, sort of like I tricked you into coming."

"You didn't, love. I wanted to come."

"But I saw your eyes when you heard about it being a party. I just… Finn, no one is making you stay, I have to because it's a family thing, but if you want to go I can catch a ride with my mom and Luke. I was planning on going to the Hollow anyway."

"As tempting as that offer is, I told you I'd come, so I'm staying."

"But…"

"No buts, love," he said putting his fingers under her chin tilting her face to look at him. "Yes, I thought it was just going to be dinner, but it's fine, Rory, I'm here now. Plus, there's not much to do tonight."

"Why's that?"

"Because I know for a fact that Colin and Logan got talked into coming to this thing too, and, well, nobody likes an Aussie drinking by himself."

Rory smiled at him. "Two hours, then we're out of here."

"Oh, thank god." Finn laughed. Rory rolled her eyes and pushed the door open to see her grandmother in the foyer talking with her mother.

"Really, Lorelai, does it kill you to be on time for a party?"

'Yes, mother, I just get this searing pain in my heart whenever I see that I'm even a minute early to dinner at your house. It just kills me."

"This is no time for your sarcasm, young lady."

"Oh my god, is Grams here?" Lorelai asked trying to look over Emily.

"What are you talking about?" Emily asked her eyes wide. Rory smiled as she took off the wrap from her shoulders.

"You never call me young lady. And oh my god," Lorelai laughed, "I just noticed the coat rack. When did she get here?"

"I have no idea what you are talking about, Lorelai, now you are being rude. You come late and now we are having a conversation in the middle of the foyer..."

"Emily." They heard an older lady yell for her.

"My god, I forgot her tea." Emily said hurrying off to the kitchen. Lorelai turned to Rory and laughed. "I love it when Grams is here. Luke, it's time you met Grams, she is going to love you."

"Really, why is that?"

"Cause my mom hates you." Lorelai said seriously, pulling him into the room.

"Who's Grams?" Finn asked as he took Rory's hand and linked it through his arm. Rory smiled at the gesture as they walked into the room where the party was being held.

"My grandpa's mom," Rory said. "And the bane of my grandmother's existence." She laughed. "It's the only time the great Emily Gilmore is flustered."

"It's a wonderful thing to see." Finn laughed.

"Grams, it so great to see you." Lorelai said leaning down and kissing her cheek. Lorelai the First was seated in her usual char near the fireplace in the sitting room, with people surrounding her standing and sitting listening to her regale the amazing stories of her youth.

"It's good to see you too, Lorelai." She said patting her hand. "And who's this?" She asked pointing to Luke.

"This is Luke, Grams, my husband."

"I heard you were married." She said. "I also heard you had a daughter."

"Only this time _in_ wedlock,"

"That's a big step for you."

"And you don't how hard it was to make it." Lorelai teased.

"Was that a joke?"

"Yes, it was."

"Funny."

"Thanks." Lorelai smiled. Rory stepped up and kissed her great-grandmother's cheek.

"Hi, Grams."

"Rory, you haven't visited me in London." Rory smiled. If anything, she was close to her great-grandmother. She called at least once a week to see how she was.

They had bonded when Rory had done an article on her for the YDN for the 'People You Admire' month that each reporter had done for the paper. Doyle had told them to do it on someone they admired, yet knew very little about. So her mother had been crossed out off the list seeing as her mother was more of a sister. So she chose her great-grandmother after hearing the stories of her in Egypt. They had a close relationship and she had even gone to London to stay with her some summers.

"I know, Grams, I've been busy."

"I heard, getting married and divorced all in the same month,"

"Long story, Grams."

"And apparently already dating."

"Oh no, Grams." She said bringing Finn forward. "This is Finn, he's a friend from school."

"Here's your tea, mom." Emily said handing her the teacup and plate set. Rory watched her Grams take a sip, roll her eyes and hand it back to Emily.

"It's cold." She said in that superior tone of hers that always had her mom holding in the giggles. "I said hot tea, Emily, not iced tea. Take it back. I'll just wait until dinner for something proper to drink."

"I'll heat it up, mom."

"And ruin the flavor? I think not." Rory saw Grams send a wink her way that had Rory rolling her eyes.

"Come on, let's go make the rounds" Rory told Finn. "This will take a while."

"Your Grams seems stuck up." Finn said making Rory laughed.

"I know, isn't it great?" Rory asked. Finn raised an eyebrow and laughed himself.

"You are an odd duck, Rory Gilmore."

Rory smiled at him. He found himself liking her smile more and more every time she did it. "Thank you, Finnegan."

"Eugene?" They turned around and Rory smiled.

"Lilly, I didn't know you were coming." Rory said kissing the older woman's cheek.

"Where is he?" Finn asked. Lilly looked at him with a worried expression.

"He's getting a drink," Finn nodded.

"Excuse me, love." Finn said Rory nodded.

"Of course." Rory said as he turned and walked towards the next room. "Who is he looking for?" Rory uttered to herself.

"His father, dear." Rory turned her attention back to Lilly. "I asked him to come tonight. He said he didn't want to, his father and him had another falling out, things are still a bit tense between him. I'm surprised you gotto him to come." Lilly said smiling at her.

"Truth be told, he thought this was just a dinner." Rory said. "I told him he could go before coming inside."

"I'm not surprised he didn't take that up."

"Really?"

"Finn isn't one to run from his problems. But he is the one to drink them away, not much I can do now that he's over twenty-one."

"I'll take care of him, Lilly." Rory said.

"You're such a sweet girl." Lilly said patting her shoulder. "But it's between Finn and his father. Not much anyone can do but watch them crash."

"I'm going to go get a drink." Rory said.

"I'll talk to you later." Lilly said as Rory started to walk away. "And that is a wonderful dress, dear."

"It should be." Rory said with a laugh. "I bought it in your store."

"Well, I have wonderful taste." Lilly laughed

Rory laughed "That you do." She turned once again and went to the bar her grandparents had set up in the empty dining room. She ordered a club soda and saw Finn talking to an older version of himself. Rory assumed it was his father. As if he felt her staring he turned and gave her a weak smile. She smiled back, then saw the man turn to her. He said something to Finn that had him whip his head back. She turned when the bartender set the club soda in front of her. She thanked him quietly and took a sip. It was better not to interrupt just yet.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

Finn gritted his teeth and fisted his hands in his pocket and prayed for enough patience to not make a scene in front of his father's friends. Apparently it was the least he could do.

"I'm done, Eugene."

"Done with what?" Finn asked.

"Done cleaning up your mess."

"What, pray tell, father, have you had to clean up this time? I've done nothing wrong."

"That little stunt you pulled in Fiji."

"That little stunt was over three fucking years ago."

"Do not speak to me like that."

"Or what? I'm over eighteen. You can't do shit."

"Who's the one that's cleaning up your mess, Eugene; who's the one that bails you AND your friends out of jail every time you land your asses there? Apparently I can do shit. I should have never paid for your bail that first time."

"That first time. The first time and the only time I've only been in a cell. Once." Finn said. He felt the back of his hairs prickle up and looked over to the bar where Rory was watching them. He gave her a weak smile and watched her smile back.

"She's a beautiful young lady. Emily and Richard's granddaughter, right?" Finn whipped his hand around.

"Leave her alone, father."

"She's rich," Finn stayed silent, "has the name, status. She's a perfect Rothschild wife. Even has career goals. Imagine that. At least one of you will have your priorities straight."

"I get it, father. I'm the big fucking disappoint in the family. James was the fucking golden child."

"Is that really what you think?" His father scoffed.

"I'm right, aren't I? You wish every damn day of your life James was born first, that it had been me in that damn car. Well, it wasn't. I'm the heir now." Finn said. He turned and was about to walk away when his father grabbed his arm.

"Don't walk away from me."

"I'll do whatever the fuck I want." Finn said shaking his grip away and leaving the room.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

Rory watched Finn stalk away. She bit her lip battling internally before going after him. She grabbed her wrap and followed him outside where she saw him standing against the side of the wall lighting a cigarette.

"I didn't know you smoke." He turned towards her, then relaxed a bit as he inhaled.

"Only on rare occasions." Finn said as he puffed out a cloud of smoke.

"You okay?" Rory asked. "I saw you talking to your dad?"

"I'm… fine."

"You sure about that?"

"No."

"I think it's my turn to do the cheering up."

"We are a sad bunch of people."

"Yes, we are. Come on, let's go. "

"We haven't been here an hour." He said.

"We made an appearance, that's good enough. I can see you don't want to go back in there."

"No."

"Well then, let's go. Paris and Doyle are probably out and about. We can go back to my place and watch movies. What do you say?"

"Sounds perfect, love." Finn said crushing out his cigarette.

"Good. Come on." She grabbed his hand. Finn handed the valet his ticket and waited for the car to be brought around. Why was it that the prospect of spending time with Rory Gilmore just made him feel better? He pushed the thought aside. He would think about it later.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

**_A.N.:_** There it is. James's story will be told later on when Rory and Finn are closer. I hope you all enjoyed. I'll be updating next week as per usual!

Press the button that says Go!

Kassandra


	11. Good or Bad?

_**Part 11: Good or Bad? **_

Finn pulled up in front of Rory's apartment building and made his way into the parking garage.

"You can park in my spot." Rory said. "I park outside anyway."

"It's fine, love." He said parking in an empty spot.

"Finn, we can't park here."

"And why not?"

"Cause it belongs to whoever lives in apartment 513."

"I know the man." Finn said with a smirk as he got out of the car. Rory frowned before getting out herself.

"Doyle has some clothes that might fit you." Rory said as they started their way to the front door of the building.

"Don't worry about it."

"I'll feel bad if you're wearing your suit and I'm in sweats and an overly large shirt." Rory said smiling up at him.

"If it'll make you feel better, I've got some clothes up in apartment 513."

"Why do you have clothes in apartment 513?"

He smirked. "Wouldn't you like to know?" He opened the door for her and let her pass before following and going to the elevators. They walked in and before she could push the button for her floor, Finn pushed another.

"That's the wrong floor, Finn."

"No, it's not."

"I'm on 10."

"And 513 is on 14."

"Finn, we can't just go barging into someone else's apartment."

"I can barge into this one." Finn smirked, as the elevator doors opened on the fourteenth floor. She watched as he grabbed the key from his pocket and insert it in the lock.

"Why am I not surprised that you have the key?" His response was just a smirk as he opened the door.

"Did you see that!" Rory frowned as she walked in and saw Logan and Colin sitting on the couch. Steph came out from the kitchen with a bowl of chips.

"I'm tired of watching the football game you guys. Let's watch Dawson's Creek."

"Boo!" Colin and Logan both said in unison.

"Finn, thank god you're home." Steph said. "They won't let me watch my marathon." Steph said looking at them. Rory looked up at Finn.

"Home, Finn?" She said. He sent her a smile.

"I told you I knew the man that owned the apartment." He teased and then turned back to Steph. "Let me change, Steph, and you can watch it in my room."

"See, you two are losers. Finn is the nice one." Steph said.

"I'm surprised I didn't see you three at the Gilmore gala." Finn said taking off his coat. He ushered Rory further into the room so that she wasn't standing at the door.

"That's tomorrow night." Logan said keeping his eyes trained on the TV screen.

"Yeah, Finn, been drinking a bit too much tonight?" Colin asked teasingly.

"It was tonight." Rory said. They all turned finally noticing that she was there. They took in their attire before their eyes widened.

"My father is going to kill me." Logan said leaning back on the couch.

"Your father? My father!" Colin said as he started to pace.

"Maybe we can convince them that we were there," Steph said, "but the Gilmore house was just so big they didn't see us."

"They would expect us to look for them." Logan said.

"I've already used that one." Colin said.

"I love seeing them all riled up." Finn whispered. Rory laughed quietly as he ushered her down the hall, leaving his three friends contemplating their fate. He opened his bedroom door and led her inside. She started looking around as he closed the door and went to his closet to get some more comfortable clothes.

The room was Finn, Rory thought at she looked around. It wasn't a small room, but it wasn't large either. Comfortable was the word that came to Rory's mind.

His walls were bare, except for the window on the far wall and the built-in shelves at either end of his bed that were full of movies, books and CDs. His bed was neatly made with a black comforter and matching silk pillows, which had Rory running her finger over them to feel the sleek fabric.

His closet was next to the door, it had two wooden sliding doors. He had a dresser up against the wall opposite the bed. A flat screen TV hovered over it. The DVD player sat on top of his dresser. She noticed that while the room itself was clean, the chair in the corner held varying pieces of clothing, which she assumed were dirty. She looked at his side table and smiled at the pictures.

She picked one of the frames up and looked at it. It was of a younger version of Finn with a boy a bit older than him. Both were smiling and both wore some type of sports uniform. The other boy had his arm around Finn's shoulders while Finn held a football looking ball tucked under his arm.

"Who is that?" Rory asked as she turned around to face Finn. She instantly blushed and turned away when she saw him taking off his pants and without a shirt. "Finn?"

"Yes, love?" She heard him rustling in some drawers.

"Who's this?"

Finn looked over at the picture she held over her shoulder and smirked. "Embarrassed, love?"

"A bit." She admitted. Finn pulled the pants on, then grabbed his shirt as he made his way to her. He pulled the shirt on, took the picture out of her hands and studied it. He had to smile; he always did when he looked at a picture of his brother.

"This is James." Finn said. Rory peeked over his arm to look at the picture. "My brother."

"I didn't know you had a brother."

"Had being the key word, he died a few years back."

"I'm sorry."

"Not your fault, is it?" Finn said looking at her from the corner of his eye.

"You're wearing uniforms." She said changing the subject.

He looked back at the picture and nodded. "Rugby."

"Isn't that like football?"

He glared at her playfully. "Rugby is not like football. Those wimps wear pads, we don't."

She raised her hands up. "Okay, okay, it's not like football."

"The idea is the same. But it's a bit different and a bit more violent, lost my first baby tooth playing with James."

"That's horrible."

"Got five bucks from the Tooth Fairy though."

She looked at him and saw him grinning like an idiot that she had to laugh. "That's a good deal."

"It was." He put the picture back on the side table.

"Do you miss him?"

He looked over at her; she was studying the movie now and biting her lower lip. "A lot, he was my best friend. He didn't deserve to die."

"No one ever does." Rory said taking a movie from the shelf and turning to him. He walked over to her again and leaned against the wall.

"True," Finn agreed, not sure what to say. He watched her instead, She was the studying the back of the movie, _Donnie Brasco_. A piece of hair fell in front of her face and he found his fingers moving forward and pushing them behind her ear. He saw her biting at her bottom lip in concentration, then glance up at him.

"What?" She asked, a small smile forming on her lips. He shook his head. "No, what?"

"It was nothing."

"Well, it's got to be something if you're staring at me." Finn just shook his head again. He lifted his hand and placed it on her cheek stroking his thumb against her soft skin. Before he knew what he was doing he leaned down and brushed his lips against hers. Her lips were soft and sweet, and tasted the faintest bit of coffee. He pulled back and looked into her eyes.

"We should probably go." She said blushing. He nodded.

"Come on," he said putting a hand on the small of her back and guiding her out. She threw the movie on his bed and walked out. He closed the door and grabbed his jacket.

"Steph, the room's all yours." Finn said as he opened the front door.

"Thanks, Finn. You going to be back tonight?"

"Later," was all Finn said as he and Rory walked out of the apartment. The ride in the elevator was quiet. She had pushed the button to her floor and the ride four floors down seemed like a long one. The doors opened and they walked out to her apartment. She opened her purse and looked for her keys. She finally found them and opened the door. She walked in and heard Finn close the door behind him.

"Paris? Doyle?" She shouted as she walked down the hall to the living room. No answer. "Probably out." She muttered. She turned to Finn and saw him looking around. The apartment was a small two-bedroom one. It had a large living room with a fire place. The TV was in a corner unit next to the entrance to the dining room, with a black couch and recliners against the far wall. They had a glass coffee table that had magazines and books littered on the surface. There was a window on the wall next to the TV, the light blue drapes hiding the view of New Haven.

He looked through the entrance of the dining room and saw three laptops at three chairs, and papers, books and newspapers scattering the surface.

"…our makeshift YDN." He heard her say. He turned to her and found her staring at him.

"What?"

"The dining room, we barely use it. There's a counter in the kitchen that we use to eat. So the dining room is like our makeshift Yale Daily News when we can't make it in." She explained. "Kitchen is through that door." She said pointing. "Nothing much in it."

"Can I see?"

"Go ahead." Rory said with a laugh as she followed him through the dining room and to the kitchen. He opened one of the glass double doors and walked in.

"It's big." Finn said standing against the counter.

"Yeah, sort of put me off when I saw it. I don't cook and neither does Paris." Rory said. "And Doyle can't boil water." He opened the refrigerator and peeked inside. "Which is why our fridge is full of pizza boxes and Chinese cartons. We order in a lot. Well, I do. Paris and Doyle go out. Sometimes to his mom's house for some home cooked food. I go to Stars Hollow for Luke's cooking. God, I miss his burgers." Rory said with a sigh.

"I cook." Finn said as he closed the fridge.

"You're kidding?" She laughed. He shook his head.

"I kid you not."

"You can cook?"

"On a rare occasion I'll put on my apron and pearls and whip out the good ol' spatula." He teased.

"That was a great visual, Finn." She laughed as she walked out of the kitchen and towards her room. He followed her. She led him down the small hall and to the room that Paris had pointed him to earlier. It was a fairly large room and very Rory he thought. He hadn't studied it when he had come over earlier to pick her up. He took the time to appreciate it while she moved around.

The walls were a pale blue. She had a four poster wooden bed with a white canopy at the top. The covers were a darker blue and held plump goose feather pillows. The TV was on the opposite wall, and like his, was placed on the wall. Her DVD player and VCR unit on her dresser, with varying pieces of jewelry, the wall over had a vanity with her make up scattered all over a well of piece of jewelry. He looked over and saw her standing at her walk in closet grabbing a hanger.

"I'm going to go change. Make yourself comfortable."

"Now how's that fair?" Finn asked.

"What?"

"I changed in my room. You saw me almost naked."

"That was different, Finn. I had no idea that you were changing. And I'm a girl. I have different assets." She laughed.

"Ones I'm willing to see." He said with a teasing voice. She rolled her eyes.

"I'll be right back." She said pushing him away from the door and making her way to the bathroom. He sat on the bed and grabbed the remote from the bedside table. He turned the TV on and lay back browsing the channels. He heard the bathroom door open, but Rory didn't come in. He stood up and went to the living room where he had seen the DVDs. He looked through the movies and the entertainment system and smirked as he grabbed _Grease_.

"Hey."

He turned and smiled at Rory. She had on Snoopy pajama bottoms and a white cotton tank top. She was holding a bowl of popcorn in one hand and a bag of marshmallows in the other.

"Did you pick a movie?"

"_Grease_?"

"Oh, perfect." She said going over. She took another from the shelf and taking out another movie "But we've also got to watch Willy Wonka."

"The original or the new version?"

"Both." Rory said as she grabbed them, then walked back into her room. She put the popcorn and bag on the bed, grabbed the movie from Finn and put it in her DVD player. He lay back on the bed and watched her as she moved around. She sat next to him and started the movie.

She put the bowl between them as well as the bags. "This isn't nearly enough food. But I'm fresh out of everything. We had a movie night when I got from the pub the other night."

"When you went out with us?"

"Yeah. Paris said that no matter how hard I told her I didn't need to wallow, I still had to. It's in the Gilmore Girls handbook."

"The Gilmore Girls handbook?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"A book of rules that my mom and I have, wallowing after breaking up with a boyfriend and/or husband, which was added for me, after the fact, must be done. With mass amounts of junk food and a movie from every genre, and Willy Wonka is a must"

"What movies did you watch?"

"_A Walk to Remember_ filled the tear jerker category."

"Cried a bit myself." Finn said. Rory laughed.

"_Airplane_ as the comedic movie,"

"Surely you can't be serious?" He said in mock shock.

Rory smiled at the bit. "I am serious. And don't call me Shirley," She laughed. "Then Willy Wonka, both of them, and _Fast and the Furious_ for the action adventure."

"And Paul Walker." Finn said. Rory turned to him and nodded.

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

"Steph."

"Right, then _The Princess Bride_ because my mother demanded that she have her Westley."

"Some night."

"Some morning." Rory corrected. "We all passed out from sugar comas around four in the morning and woke up around 2 in the afternoon. Our apartment was a mess." Rory said. "Took a few days to get the marshmallows out of the carpet. Word of advice, don't ever have a food fight when it involves white carpet, marshmallows and Cactus cooler."

Finn laughed. "I'll take that to heart." They turned their attention back to the movie and Rory laid her head on the pillows, but couldn't see because of Finn's legs. He watched her as she tried to get comfortable. He sighed.

"Come here."

"What?"

"Come here." He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and brought her to him so that her head rested on his chest. She closed her eyes, then reopened them to watch the movie.

"What's the matter?" He asked.

"What?"

"Something's the matter, what is it?"

"It's nothing."

"I highly doubt that." She sat up and looked at him biting her lower lip.

"You kissed me."

"So we're talking about it now?"

"You kissed me." She said biting her lower lip.

"You keep doing that and I'll kiss you again." He watched her let go of her lip and look at her fingers.

"Finn, I like you."

"Rory..."

"No, wait. I've been thinking about this a lot, before you even kissed me. So let me just say it."

"Rory, you don't have to explain."

"Please, let me do it." He gave a nod and she took a deep breath. She paused the movie and turned back to him. "I like you, Finn. Maybe a bit more than a friend should, but the feelings are there. Feelings I haven't felt in a long time. But I just got divorced and just got out a relationship that lasted seven years. I've only been with one guy and I'm a virgin."

"Rory," he started to interrupt, but she held up a hand.

"It doesn't bug me. I'm just a romantic in the sense that I knew Dean wasn't the right one and I didn't want to lose it to him. He wasn't the one I wanted to experience it with. What I'm trying to say is that we're both at different places."

"Now I'm confused."

"Sorry," she said closing her eyes and taking another deep breath. She opened her eyes again and continued;

"My life is changing, for the better or worse I still don't know. I've never really gotten to be single. And I sort of want to see what it feels like. And you're not the commitment guy, Finn." He looked up at her then. She had the faintest smile on her face as she traced the pattern on the covers with her finger. She looked up at him. "It's not a bad thing, Finn. I'm not saying it is."

"I know."

"But you've got a fear of commitment. I saw it in your eyes when I first met you. When you saw I was married. And truth be told, I've got a fear of rejection. I can't handle it."

"I wouldn't…"

"And that's what Dean did. He's been rejecting me for the past five years and I still don't know how I feel about it. And that's another thing that I've got to figure out. But I love having you as a friend, Finn, and I don't want that to change."

"Can I speak now?"

"Yeah." She laughed lightly. He took a breath and blew it out.

"I don't know what the hell I feel for you Rory. It's a mixture of things really. And every time something happens between us I don't try to analyze it. It might be my fear of commitment kicking it, but I just don't want to analyze what that is. I've been a…"

"Womanizer?" She put in.

"I guess you could call it that. I was going to say playboy, but womanizer works."

"Sorry."

"No, it's fine. But I've been that a good part of my life. But since I met you I've noticed that I'm not noticing women anymore."

"Please, don't tell me you notice men."

He laughed. "No, no, not men. I've noticed you."

"Finn..."

"And I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. Maybe we both have to figure it out. But I don't want to change our friendship either. I trust you, Rory, and I hope you trust me."

"I do."

"And trust is a hard thing to find these days." He got off the bed and ran a hand through his hair. He pulled the covers back and motioned for Rory to get in. She did and he covered her up as she rested her head on the pillows. He sat next to her and sighed. "The kiss earlier… I'm sorry about that."

"No, Finn, I don't…" She said starting to sit up.

"But you looked kissable I guess. It was an instinct. And I'm sorry. I have to say it's going to be hard not kissing you now." He had the pleasure of watching the faint red blush tint her cheeks. "But I'll try to resist your womanly wiles, Miss Gilmore." He teased. Rory laughed as she settled back under the covers. "I'm going to get going. Chances are Steph is asleep in my bed and Colin passed out in his."

"What does that matter?" Rory asked confused.

"When the moment arises I usually place Steph in Colin's bed. She screams and he makes a beautiful thumping sound when he's trying to get out of the bed in the morning."

"You're horrible, Finn."

"Good night, love."

"I'll walk you out."

"No, I can find my way."

"Night Finn."

"Night." He said walking out and closing her door. He walked down the hall and out the door closing it quietly. He leaned up against it and sighed. How the hell was he going to maintain a friendship with Rory now that he knew what it felt like to kiss her? He thumped his head against the door. Why had he kissed her?

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

Rory sat up once she heard her door close and leaned her head against the headboard closing her eyes. She was never going to be able to sleep now. She had too many thoughts running in her head. Had she done the right thing? Telling Finn that she had feelings for him, telling him that she didn't want to do anything about it?

She brought her fingers up to her lips and smiled. He had kissed her. She hit her head on the wall and groaned. What the hell had she done?

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

**_AN: _**That was not how I planned their first kiss. But alas that is what my muse had in his little head and made my fingers type. I have many plans for our little duo before they get together. I have plans for after they get together too. But when I was writing this, that moment when they were standing in the room just seemed perfect for a kiss.

Also another little twist my muse put in there was Rory's little speech. I seriously didn't want to put all that in there. It just seemed a little deep for both of them. But again the stupid muse changed my plans and made me type all that. So that's what you got.

I hope you all enjoyed the longer chapter. It's three pages longer then what I usually write, but I couldn't seem to find a good spot to end it in the middle of going between apartments. It just seemed awkward so it's longer. Much to the pleasure of my beta, I know her so well. LOL.

If you want to get an idea of what Rory's apartment looks like because I'm horrible at describing it, check out my blog and I'll have the link up. It's just a layout of the apartment, but you get the general idea.

As for Finn's apartment…well, it's different from hers. LOL. I didn't really have a plan for his. The whole him living four floors above her was an idea I've been playing with. If you notice in some of the chapters I give little hints that they might be in the same building. They're very, very small ones so that if I decided to change it later it wouldn't be weird in earlier chapters.

Okay so now that my Author's note turned out to be longer than the story itself I will leave you with some words to remember. PRESS THE BLUE/PURPLE BUTTON!

Hehehe you know what to do

Kassandra


	12. Restraint

_**Part 12: Restraint**_

He pulled his jacket tighter as he walked through the Yale campus in search for a coffee cart. God, he hated fall, he hated anything that involved the cold. He could handle the idiocy of spring and the allergies that came with it and he loved summer, seeing as it was the only time of year that he went home willingly. He was a sunny bunny and was damn proud.

He ordered his coffee and was about to walk to his car to go home when he saw her walking towards the parking lot as well. He walked over to her. Habit, he thought.

A week had passed, a very long and hard week. He had thought that maybe, just maybe, if he kissed her, the urge and curiosity would go away as well as the attraction. But just like any other annoyance in his life, it didn't. And that's what liking Rory Gilmore was. It was an annoyance and he hated feeling like that.

He fell into step with her, he noticed she was on the phone.

"Hey," he said quietly, but loud enough for her to hear him. She looked up at him, smiled and put up a hand signaling him to wait for a minute.

"Yes, I was aware that the meeting was today." She said into her phone, she listened to the other person on the opposite end and rolled her eyes. "Yes, well, I've got bigger things to worry about right now, Mark, and getting into Stars Hollow this week is an impossibility." She listened some more and sighed. "He has to wait. He's waited a week, he can wait another, it won't hurt him emotionally." She said bitterly as she opened the car door and threw her purse in the back. She signaled for him to get in and he complied. He closed the door and she started the car backing out and turning on the heater.

"Look, Mark, I'll be there as soon as I can, I just can't leave right now and I can't for the rest of the week. I've got responsibilities in New Haven... What do you mean what responsibilities? I've got bills to pay, tests I have to take, papers and articles I have to write, a job to do. Right now signing a bunch of papers terminating a one-month marriage isn't on the top of my list... Yes." He heard her nod and watched her nod.

"Look, fax me the papers... What do you mean you can't!" She said. "Of course he did." She said with a sigh. "Fine, I'll try, try being the key word here, to make it in tomorrow, around two. Okay, see you then." Rory said before hanging up the phone.

"Sorry for kidnapping you." She said pulling the car over and shutting it off and turning to him. "I didn't mean to, but I haven't seen you in a while."

"Sorry 'bout that."

"We've been busy." Rory said with a shrug. "Nothing to be sorry about."

"Who was on the phone?"

"Divorce lawyer," she explained. "They've been hassling me to get home and sign, but I haven't been able to, I've been bogged down with school and work, I haven't made time to go over and sign the papers."

"So you're still legally married?" He asked.

"Yep, but hopefully tomorrow the divorce will be final. Are you okay?"

"Yeah."

"Do you want me to take you back to school to get your car?"

"No, it's fine. I can get Colin or Logan to get it for me."

"So where were you headed?"

"Home, you?"

"Same, want a ride?"

"Seeing as I'm in the car." He teased.

"Right." She started the car again and pulled back onto the road. They stayed silent, Rory watching the road, every once in a while changing lanes and cursing under her breath when someone cut in front of her and Finn staring out of the window.

"Are you all right?" She asked. He turned towards her and frowned.

"Why do you ask?"

"You just have sort of a face of not wanting to be here."

"I'm here."

"But do you want to be?"

"I wouldn't have followed you if I hadn't wanted to be." He said. Rory sighed frustrated as she parked in front of the apartment building. She grabbed her bags and she and Finn got out of the car. They got in the elevator and she pushed the ten button. Just as he went to push fourteen she grabbed his hands.

"Come up, stay for a while, have some coffee." She said. Finn nodded and leaned back against the surface on the elevator wall.

"So what's new, love, other than the hassling lawyers?"

"Doyle proposed on Monday, so now Paris and him have the crazy notion to move out in their heads, we've been arguing about it." Rory said as the doors opened in front of them and they started down the hall to her apartment.

"You don't want her to move?" He asked readjusting his heavy bag on his shoulders.

"I don't think I'm ready to live on my own just yet." She stayed as she searched for her keys. "I've always lived with someone, my mom, Dean, Paris. Never on my own," she said grabbing her keys.

"Maybe it's time you started the transition." He commented, earning a glare from her.

"Bite your tongue." Rory laughed. Just as she was about to insert the key into the lock, the door swung open to reveal Paris holding a box. Rory's eyes widened as did Paris's.

"You're kidding me, right?" Rory asked once the initial shock wore off.

"Rory, it's not what it looks like." Paris said as Rory grabbed the box from her hands and walked into the apartment.

"So you and Doyle aren't moving out?"

"Well," Paris began. Finn leaned against the wall to watch the show.

"We had this discussion, Paris, you and Doyle aren't moving out."

"We're getting married, Rory, we can't live with you if we're getting married."

"What the hell am I supposed to do with a two-bedroom apartment, Paris!"

"What, you were going to move out? This is your apartment, your grandparents got it for you last year! You can't move out."

"Like you said, it's mine. I can do what I want and if I want to give it to you and Doyle, then so be it!"

"You will not give us the apartment!"

"Paris, I got the packing tape." Doyle said walking in and surveying the two girls staring at each other.

"Now is not a good time, mate." Finn said. Doyle nodded.

"Paris, you can't move out. Not now." Rory said.

"What, because you're getting divorced from some asshole that you shouldn't have been with in the first place?"

"Low blow, Paris, or do I have to remind you of Asher!"

"Oh, what about Jess!"

"I was never with Jess! My god, Paris, I was with Dean when Jess moved to Stars Hollow! I never liked him."

"Come off it, Rory. You loved Jess the moment he stepped foot in this stupid town of yours."

"I did not!"

"You did too. You're just too fucking blind to see what's right in front of your face!"

Doyle surveyed the scene confused. "How'd they start arguing over past loves?"

Finn shrugged. "Women," he muttered.

"What's that supposed to mean!" Rory yelled.

"It means that you take this part of the innocent virgin, Rory, you do no wrong. Why the hell do you think you were the Mary at Chilton?"

"That was some stupid name Tristan gave me! And just because I'm a virgin, it doesn't make me any different, Paris. Don't think you're so high and mighty because you flaunted your first sexual encounter on CNN!" Rory yelled before storming into her room.

"Hey! I didn't get into Harvard! I was upset!" Paris yelled following her.

"Yeah, because you weren't a virgin!" Rory said slamming her door.

"Oh, very mature, Rory, slamming the door. What's next, blasting your goddamn Goth rock, cause let me tell you, you should have passed that stage at sixteen! Oh wait, you were with farm boy!" Paris yelled. Rory came back out with an overnight bag and stormed out of the room.

"Where the hell are you going?"

"My mom's!" Rory said.

"We're having a discussion here!" Paris yelled.

"It's my apartment, I can do whatever the hell I want. I hope you and Doyle are very happy in whatever stupid place you end up living!"

"WE WILL BE!"

"FINE!"

"FINE!" Paris yelled back. They stood glaring at each other before Finn cleared his throat.

"Are you two done or will the claws come out again?" Finn asked. Rory blinked and shook her head.

"You can't move out, Paris." She whispered.

"Rory," Paris said quitely.

Rory shook her head. "I'm going to go to my mom's. I'll let you and Doyle pack." She said hefting the bag on her shoulder and walking down the hall and out the door. Finn looked back and forth between the door and a defeated Paris before running after Rory. He caught her at the elevator and grabbed the door before it closed.

"Finn, let go of the door."

"You're not driving," he told her.

"Let go of the door." She said between clenched teeth.

"You're upset and you're not driving."

"I'm a big girl, Finn, I can drive myself to my mother's house."

"YOU'RE NOT DRIVING!" He yelled. Rory looked at him in shock as he took a deep breath. She would have never taken Finn as one to yell, especially at a woman.

"You yelled at me." She stated as she blinked. He nodded.

"You're being stubborn."

"You yelled at me."

"Look," he said taking another breath, "Stay with us."

"I was standing here and you yelled at me."

He sighed, got in the elevator and let the doors shut. He brought her into his arms and laid his forehead against hers. "Just please don't drive." He felt her nod against him.

"Fine."

"Good, if you want, I can drive you to Stars Hollow."

"No, it's fine."

"You want to stay with us for the weekend?" Finn asked.

"I don't want to impose."

Finn rolled his eyes and pushed the button for the fourteenth floor. "You'll stay with us for the night."

"You sure?"

"Positive." He said.

"I don't want Paris to move yet." She whispered. "I'm not ready to be on my own." He smiled and kissed her temple.

"It'll work out, love, just be patient." He felt her nod again as the doors opened. He led her to the apartment. Not bothering with a key he opened the door and led her inside.

"Do you not lock?"

"We tend to forget." He said with a smirk. Rory rolled her eyes as Logan and Colin looked up.

"Coffee girl," Colin said, "What brings you to our neck of the woods?"

"Why don't you wait for me in my room?" Finn said. "You remember where it is."

"Yeah," Rory said giving a wave to the guys before walking down the hall to Finn's room.

"Was that a bag I saw?" Logan asked. "Like an overnight bag?"

Finn sighed and ran a hand through his hair as he sat down. "She got in a fight with her roommate."

"The scary blonde?" Colin asked.

"No, Paris." Logan said with a smirk.

"Who are you talking about?" Colin asked.

"Jules, who are you talking about?"

"Paris."

"She really needs to add some variety in her friends." Logan muttered.

"Who, Paris?" Colin asked.

"Rory."

"Who's Rory?" Colin asked, then smirked as both boys looked at him in disbelief. "Kidding, kidding, jeez." He said with a roll of his eyes.

"Anyway," Fin said with a sigh, "Paris is getting married to Doyle."

"The editor for the YDN, I heard." Logan said.

"And they're moving out of the apartment and they were sort of sneaking out, Rory walked in and they argued, said some things. Long story short, she was upset and wanted to drive home."

"Drive?" Logan asked. Finn nodded as the guys realized what was going on.

"So I told her that she could stay with us for the night, just until she cooled off. I hope that's all right?

"Hey," Colin started, "This is as much your apartment as it is ours."

"Thanks, I better get in there."

Logan nodded. "You're doing a good thing, Finn."

Finn shrugged as he walked down the hall and into the room. He saw her sitting on his bed, her knees to her chest watching TV, switching the channels every once in a while.

"Comfortable?" He asked taking off his jacket and hanging it up.

"Very." She said smiling at him. He sat next to her, his back against the headboard.

He watched her bite her lip and sighed. "What's wrong?" He asked. She turned to him confused.

"What are you talking about?"

"You're doing that thing with your lip. What's wrong?"

"You've known me for almost a month and you already know when I'm thinking about something."

"You're not that hard to figure out, love, now what's wrong?"

"Just thinking, is all."

"Care to share?"

"Not particularly." She said, her eyes going back to the TV.

"Can I guess?"

"You can try."

Finn hmmed and rubbed his chin in mock consideration. "Is it about Paris?" He finally asked.

"Somewhat, but not entirely."

"Is it about Dean?"

"No."

"Is it about me?"

"Maybe."

"Is that a maybe yes or a maybe no?"

"It's a maybe both."

"You're really not helping, love."

"Why wouldn't you let me drive to Stars Hollow?"

"If you want to go, I'll take you." Finn said.

"No, it's fine, I just wanted to know why you wouldn't let me drive, why you yelled at me."

"I'm sorry about that, I don't like raising my voice to women, but it was the only way I could get you to listen."

"Why?"

"Because you were upset."

"It's never stopped me from driving home before." She watched his jaw clench and his eyes closed.

"I had my reasons."

"Why?"

"Because I did."

"That's not a reason, Finn."

"Are you just looking for a fight, Rory?"

"What are you talking about, Finn? God," she said covering her face with her hands. "It was an innocent question, I didn't mean to get you upset."

Finn looked over when he heard her voice crack and sighed. Closing his eyes once again he scooted closer to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"I'm not upset." He said pulling her closer.

"Yes, you are."

He laughed quietly pulling her closer, "I think I know if I'm upset or not. I'm not upset, just annoyed."

"With me?"

"Partially, and partially with myself."

"What?"

"James, he died in a car crash, Rory, he was upset and wasn't thinking clearly."

Rory gasped. "I'm so sorry."

"I don't let any of my friends drive upset or drunk, Rory. Not just you, Colin or Logan or Steph. They know I'll stop them. It's just an instinct of mine. Maybe because I didn't stop him when he left the house. Something along those lines." He said as Rory looked up at him. "That why I'm annoyed with you."

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine." He sighed and hugged her again.

"You said you were annoyed with yourself too."

"I don't want to talk about that one." He said pulling back and leaning back on the headboard. She turned her body so that she was facing him, her back to the TV.

"Why not?"

"Because you're the reason I'm annoyed at myself."

"I tend to be the reason for a lot of your emotions. Maybe you should take the blame for some of them yourself." She said. He traced a hint of annoyance in her voice and smirked.

"Now who's annoyed?"

"I'm sick of everyone blaming me for reason they feel certain ways or doing certain things."

"I have a feeling we're not talking about me anymore?"

Rory sighed and shook her head. "Dean did that a lot, and now you're doing it, and I don't want to end up hating you, because you make me feel the same as he did."

Finn's eyes widened. "I didn't mean to.."

"I know, I'm sorry. I, just, I find myself comparing a lot of guys to Dean right now and that's not right on my part, so I'm sorry."

"It's fine."

"So you're annoyed?"

"Right, well, not much anymore."

"Then why were you annoyed/"

Finn took a breath in and let it out slowly, making her smile. "That serious, huh?"

"You make me feel things I don't want to." He said. She looked over at him. "I find myself losing all self-restraint and it's hard to keep it all on a tight leash."

"Should I move?" She asked teasingly. He shook his head with a laugh.

"It's when you do certain things." He whispered coming closer to her, his hand brushing away a strand of hair away from her face and tucking it in behind her ear. "I told you that it was going to be hard not kissing you and I find it harder every time I see you."

"Finn."

"But I know you're not ready, thus me having to pull every single strand of self-restraint I have not to kiss you, now or until you're ready."

She stayed silent before biting her lip and looking up at his hazel eyes with her blue ones. "Sometimes." she whispered. "I wish you wouldn't have so much restraint."

"Love," he said bringing her closer so that their faces were a millimeter apart, "if I didn't have the restraint I have, you wouldn't be a virgin."

He watched her blush and pull back. "I guess that's a good reason to be annoyed with me." She whispered.

"A very good one."

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

**_AN:_** I know that was a probably quick read, and that was a sucky place to end it, but there it is.

Now for my author's note rant. This one will be shorter than all the others, but it will be straight forward.

For any and all information about my stories please, please go to my blog. You want to know when I'll update if I haven't in a few weeks it's on my blog. You want to know if there are any new stories coming out, my blog. Everything you need to know about my stories is on my blog.

I'm getting really annoyed with reviews asking me questions that I have answered in my blog! If I don't update a story chances are the reason is on my blog. So please, if there's no new chapter on Sunday, go to my blog and check out why, that way I don't write three author's notes saying the same thing. Plus ranting on my blog.

Sorry for all of you that had to read this AN three times. I'm just annoyed still... it'll pass.

Anyway, hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Please review! Never hesitate to review guys! I do love them! They get me to write faster so please, please review!

Kassandra


	13. It's Final

_**Part 13: It's Final.**_

She opened her eyes when she felt a warm air hitting the base of her neck. She gave a yawn covering her mouth and went to get up when she found a weight on her hip. She turned around slightly and came face to face with a still sleeping Finn, his arm around her waist holding her in place.

She stared at him, his eyes closed, hiding the beautiful green ones she knew he had, his brown hair tousled from sleep. She raised her hand and skimmed her fingers down his cheek, biting her lip lightly, hoping he wouldn't wake up. His skin was soft, she had used his bathroom and noticed that he used Johnson's Baby Body Wash and had made fun of him for it. She was now regretting mocking him, his face was a soft as a baby's bottom, which gave her an odd visual and pushed the thought out of her mind. Her fingers skimmed down touching his soft lips, lightly biting her own.

"Morning, love." He said, his eyes opening. Rory moved her hand and blushed, her eyes widening.

"I'm sorry, I just..." How did she explain why she was touching his face this early in the morning.

"It's fine, love," he said, his voice still husky from sleep, "just as long as you let me do the same."

"What?" She asked confused. He smirked and raised his hand skimming his fingers down her cheek and across her lips. She closed her eyes, his fingers were light against her skin, but slightly rough against her cheek. She opened her eyes and found him smiling at her.

"Morning." He whispered.

"Morning." She whispered back. He leaned in, his eyes still on hers. She felt his breath against her face, their lips millimeters apart. Just as he was about to close the gap, someone knocked. She watched as Finn closed his eyes frustrated and rolled out of bed clad only in Bugs Bunny boxers and a white undershirt. She sat up in bed and noticed that his TV was on and had a blue screen.

"Rory?" She looked over at Logan who was standing at the door, holding her cell phone.

"Morning Logan." She said.

"Your cell is vibrating." He said handing it to her. She frowned. She had left her cell phone on the coffee table last night when they had been watching movies with Colin and Logan. She had talked to her mom. She looked at the caller ID. It read "Mark." She frowned, what was her lawyer calling her for? She looked over at the clock, it was already noon.

"Shit." She said opening the phone and getting out of bed. "I'm on my way, I swear... yeah, I know, I know... I just told you I know, I'm on my way." She closed the phone and went to her bag. She opened the bag and got out her skirt and a turtleneck. She opened the cell and pressed three on speed dial. "Pick up, pick up!"

"Luke's." She heard Luke answer.

"Luke, is my mom there?"

"Rory?"

"Yes, Rory, your stepdaughter, I need mom, stat!" She said pulling her skirt over her pajama bottom, aware of the two boys staring at her.

"Rory?" She heard her mom answer.

"I need you to wait for me in front of Mark's office with two big cups of coffee and donuts, preferably the ones with cream inside." She turned to Finn and Logan and signaled for them to turn around. They did as they were told and she quickly unbuttoned her pajama shirt putting on her red turtleneck.

"Rory, what's going on?" Lorelai asked sounding concerned.

"I forgot that I have to meet Mark and Dean and his lawyer to sign the final papers today."

"Ah, babe."

"I've been putting it off. Well, not really, I've just been busy, and Mark found out yesterday that I have today free, so he singled me out and forced me to go to the office today."

"That bastard."

"Sarcasm not helping, mom." Rory said getting out her black tights.

"Can we turn back around now, love?" She heard Finn ask.

"Yeah, Finn." She told him.

"Finn?" He mom asked.

"I'll explain later, but right now I need you to get that coffee and donuts."

"I think Luke is out of the cream-filled ones, babe."

"Mom! You sleep with him, get some donuts."

"Wow, you are very desperate." Her mother teased.

"Mom!"

"Right, right, I'll coax him into the backroom, just for you."

"Don't care how you do it, mom, just as long as I get that cream-filled donut."

"Oh Lucas!" Her mother called. Rory smiled.

"Hey mom?"

"Yeah, babe?"

"If you see him, can you refrain from saying anything?"

"Rory."

"Just please, don't threaten and/or maim him, just let him go in. I want this to go as fast as possible with little or no bloodshed. So just please refrain from saying anything to him."

Lorelai sighed. "Fine, now I have to go get Luke to find that donut," she said as she hung up. Rory rolled her eyes as she put on her boots and hung up her phone.

"You all right?" Logan asked.

"I'm getting divorced in two hours' time. What do you think?" Rory asked. "And to top it all off, I have no coffee, my lawyer is hassling and my stepfather is all out of cream-filled donuts." She said putting on her denim coat and scarf around her neck. She turned to them and looked at Finn.

"Why are you still standing there in your boxers, you're driving me to Stars Hollow," she told him packing up her bag again.

"What?" Finn asked confused.

"I'm driving back right after a late lunch at Luke's," she told him. "But I probably shouldn't drive."

Finn furrowed his brow, then understood. She was going to be upset. He gave a nod and grabbed some jeans and a shirt and put them on quickly. She grabbed her phone and stuffed it in her pocket. She grabbed the hair tie from her bag and pulled her hair into a ponytail.

"Hey, can I go with you guys?" Logan asked. Finn and Rory looked over at him.

"Go to Stars Hollow?" Rory asked.

Logan shrugged. "I'm bored."

"If you want," Rory said. "I don't mind, but if we're going to go, we have to go now." She said lifting her bag. Finn nodded as he stood up from putting on his shoes and they walked down the hall.

"Hey, where are you three off to?" Colin asked turning off the TV and getting up.

"Stars Hollow." Logan said.

"What for?"

"Rory's getting divorced." Logan said. Colin nodded.

"Cool, road trip."

Rory frowned. "It's an hour and a half drive... you know what, never mind. Everyone that's going to go, get into the hall and in the elevator now." Rory said walking out the door.

"Well, you heard her." Finn said as they walked out and followed Rory down the hall and into the elevator. She took out her cell phone and dialed a number as Finn pressed the button to the lobby.

"Hello?" Paris answered.

"Paris?"

"Rory?"

"Hey, I just wanted to let you know that I'm going to Stars Hollow for a few hours."

"Everything alright, Lorelai, Luke, Lexi?"

"Everyone's fine. I have a meeting with my lawyer along with Dean's and Dean himself."

"Signing papers?"

"Yeah."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay. You and Jules were right and I should have broken up with him a long time ago. It's over, it's done and it's time. No worries."

"You sure?"

"We'll wallow when I get home." Rory said with a sad voice.

"I'll make sure to hit the corner store."

"Good call, just no marshmallows or cactus cooler."

"I've learned from our mistakes." Paris said with a sigh.

"Good."

"Hey Rory."

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry, me and Doyle shouldn't have started packing like that."

"No, Paris."

"I mean it was very insensitive to you."

"Have you been talking to Terence again?"

"Hey, I'm baring my soul here."

"Sorry, sorry, bare away." Rory said as the elevator doors opened and they walked down the hall to the front where her car was parked. She unlocked the doors and opened the passenger door while handing Finn the keys and climbing in.

"It's just..."

"I understand, Paris, don't worry about it. I know that you and Doyle need your own space and privacy. I guess I'm just not ready to be on my own." Rory said as Finn, Logan and Colin climbed in and Finn started the car and pulled out of the space and started driving.

"Well, if you had let me talk last night and not stormed off, I could have told you that we're just moving two floors up."

"You're kidding?"

"No, you know old miss Hannigan?"

"Yeah."

"Well, she died last week."

"You're kidding me, she made really good cookies."

"Forget the cookies, well, the minute we found out, we scooped up the apartment, though the old hag had an awful sense of furniture and apparently she was colorblind."

'That's horrible, Paris, you're worse than my grandparents when they got that house on Martha's Vineyard."

"Hey, we got the apartment fair and square."

"An old lady dies for you to get the apartment."

"She died in her sleep."

Rory rolled her eyes. "That is truly insensitive."

"Yeah, well, life's not always fair."

"Apparently."

"I'll see you when you get home."

"Horrible." Rory said as she hung up the phone and put her cell back in her pocket.

"Everything worked out, love?" Finn asked as he switched lanes.

"Yep, turns out Paris is only moving two floors up. I overreacted," she said with a shrug.

"Now you realize this." Finn muttered. Rory rolled her eyes.

"I still say I'm not ready, but I'll live." She said. "Paris is only two floors up and I could use that room as a makeshift office slash guest room."

"Don't you have an apartment in that town of yours?" Logan asked.

"Um, yeah, I do." She said. "I'm still not sure what I want to do with it though. I don't want to keep it, that's for sure."

"Why not?" Colin asked. Finn sent him a glare through the rearview mirror that shut him up. Rory turned on the radio instead of answering. The rest of the ride was spent in silence, with a few comments from Colin and Logan asking if they were there yet. Finally they reached the Stars Hollow next exit sign.

"You want to take the exit and turn right at the rooster." Rory said turning off the radio.

"Rooster?" Colin asked.

"His name is Monty and he is beloved." Rory retorted. Finn smirked as he did indeed see the rooster statue and took the right. They entered the small town and Rory directed him to the office. The minute he stopped the car, she was out.

"Baby, sweetie, honey, fruit of my loins!" Lorelai said as she hugged Rory.

"Mom!" Rory said. They boys got out and watched the duo.

"So I got your coffee."

"Bless you."

"And I got your donut. Now, it took a lot of convincing, but I got it."

"Kitchen?"

"Phh. Backroom."

"You get an altar."

"Rowy." Rory looked down at her little sister and picked her up.

"Hey Lexi," she said kissing the young girl's cheek before taking a bite into her donut.

"I pwayed with Davy today."

"You did!" Rory said. "Did he pull your hair again?"

"YES!"

"Well, I will kick his little four-year-old butt the next time I see him." Rory said in mock seriousness. She turned to her mom who was smiling at the conversation. "Is he...?"

"Yeah, walked in about half hour ago, took every ounce of self-control not to kick his cheating ass, but I turned my head and gave him the cold shoulder."

"Good girl."

"Now tell mommy about your groupies."

"Group..." Rory turned around and saw Finn, Colin and Logan standing there, a bit out of place. "Oh." She waved them over and they stood behind her. "Mom, you remember Finn?"

"Sexy Jude Law."

"Jude Law?" Rory asked. Lorelai nodded and grabbed Finn's face and turned it to the side. Rory laughed. "Jude Law!" She said.

"I noticed it when I saw him in the light." She said letting go of his face. "Now the other two."

"Right, this is Logan Huntzberger and Colin Bradshaw. Guys, this is my mom, Lorelai Gilmore."

"Call me Lorelai, no Mrs. and no Ma'am. I'm not afraid to hurt you." She said shaking their hands.

"Nice to meet you." They both said.

"And this is my little sister, Lexi." Rory said.

"Finn!" Lexi said wiggling in Rory's arms to get to him. Rory handed her over.

"How does Lexi know Finn?" Lorelai asked as Finn grabbed her and kissed her cheek.

"Long story. I have to go in there. Meet you at Luke's?"

"Of course." Lorelai said kissing her cheek. "Call if you need anything."

"I will." She smiled at the guys before walking into the office with half a donut and a cup of coffee. Lorelai took Lexi from Finn and put her on the ground.

"Well, boys, looks like you're stuck with me. I'll give you a tour, then off to Luke's we go." She said as they walked down the street.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

Rory walked into the office and smiled as she came up to the desk. "Hey Kirk."

"Hey Rory."

"I didn't know you worked for Mark." She said.

"I found out that I make a good secretary."

"I bet you look wonderful in one of those red skirts and the clip-on earrings." Rory laughed.

"What?"

"Nothing. Can I go in?"

"Yeah, they're expecting you."

"Thanks, Kirk." Rory opened the door that led to the conference room and walked in. She noticed Mark sitting at one end at the table and Dean with his lawyer at the other.

"Rory." Mark said standing up.

"Hey, sorry I'm late." She had met Mark at a Yale party Jules had made her go to. He had studied Law, obviously, and they had hit it off with their common interests in books and movies. They had been good friends. She probably would have dated him if she hadn't been with Dean and he hadn't been gay. She kissed his cheek and sat down at the table.

"Why were you late?" Dean asked.

"None of your business." Rory said.

"Okay, let's just get down to business, Mark." Dan, Dean's lawyer said. She had met him once and instantly disliked him. He and Dan played basketball at the park every Saturday.

"Fine. All Rory has to do is sign the papers." Mark said taking the papers out of the file and handing them to Rory along with a pen.

"Except there is the issue of property." Dan said.

"Property?" Mark asked confused. "What property?"

"The apartment." Dean said.

Rory frowned. "The apartment is mine."

"You both lived in it." Dan said. Rory shook her head.

"I bought that apartment. I was the one that saved my money for it, I was the one that looked for and found it, I was the one that hassled Taylor for it and I was the one that furnished it. All he did was move in."

"That's true," Mark began. "The apartment is in Rory's name, it's rightfully hers."

"But I'm willing to make a deal." Rory said, her eyes focused on the papers in front of her.

"What?" Mark asked, surprised by the request.

"I was going to sell it anyway." God, what was she doing, she asked herself. "But I'm willing to rent it out to Dean."

"Rory, think about what you're doing." Mark whispered. She turned to him.

"I can't live there anymore," she whispered. "Not after what I know happened in that apartment. Plus I live in New Haven, not in Stars Hollow. I barely set foot in that apartment."

"You're sure about this?"

"Positive." She reassured him. Mark nodded with a sigh. She turned back to Dean. "If you want, I'll rent it out to you."

Dean looked at her. "Why?"

"You want it, don't you?"

"Well, yeah."

"I don't live there and you can't screw Lindsay at your parents' house, so I'll rent it out. Give me twenty four hours to clear my things and it's all yours. Just be prepared to pay the first three months rent upfront."

"Fine." Dean said.

"Fine."

"I'll draw up the papers and have them for you on Monday." Mark told Dean. He turned to Rory, "So the only thing left for you is to sign the papers."

Rory nodded and picked up the pen. She looked over the papers and sighed. _Irreconcible differences_ was the reason Mark and Dan had agreed upon calling it. She bit her lip and signed the line above her name. Mark flipped the page and pointed to the other lines she had to sign. It was amazing that while it took almost three years to plan her wedding, it took three minutes to end it. She put down the pen.

"Congratulations, you are divorced." Dan said.

"Whoopie do." Rory muttered.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

**_AN:_** Hope you all enjoyed it. Not much to say, next chapter on Sunday! Thanks for all the reviews!

Kassandra


	14. A Two Minute Separation

_**Part 14: A Two Minute Separation **_

She watched as Dean stood up, shook hands with his lawyer and left the room. Not even a last glance at her, not that it really bothered her. She turned to Mark who smiled at her sadly before standing up and shaking Dan's hand. He put a hand on the small of Rory's back, grabbed his briefcase and led her out without a word.

He opened the door for her and led her down the steps. They stood in front of the office looking at each other before he spoke.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"Fine." She said with a smile.

"Talk to me as if I weren't your lawyer, Rory. I'm your Yale drinking buddy from last year. Your _gay_ Yale drinking buddy from last year."

Rory smiled wider and looped her arm through his and led him to Luke's. "I'm fine Mark, I swear."

"Are you sure?"

Rory laughed this time. "Positive, now join us for lunch."

"Us?"

"Mom, Finn, Logan and Colin."

"I know your mom, but who are the other three?"

"Finn, Colin and Logan are apparently my groupies."

Mark laughed. "I knew you had a Rory Gilmore fan base, but groupies, Rory?"

"Oh come now, I have many followers, these are just the most adoring." She teased as they entered Luke's. She found her mom at a table, talking to the three boys.

"Hey mom." Rory said as she stood next to her.

"Hey babe, how'd it go?"

"How'd my divorce go?" Rory asked with a raised eyebrow, the amusement showed in her eyes.

"Um... is that not what you ask? What do you ask?"

"It went fine, mom. I am now legally divorced. Right Mark?"

"Right." Mark agreed.

"Finn, Colin, Logan, this is my lawyer and good friend Mark. Mark, these are my friends: Finn, Colin and Logan."

"Any of them gay?" Mark whispered making Rory laugh.

"You wish... or you know… I really don't know." She turned to the guys and smiled. "Are any of you gay? Cause Mark is looking for a man." Mark pushed her sending her a glare as she laughed.

"You're evil, Rory." Lorelai said with a laugh.

"We aren't gay." Logan said. Mark laughed.

"It's all right, I don't think my boyfriend would approve of me sleeping with another man, even if he were as cute as you."

"Your stereotypical gay man is showing." Rory said as she moved the next table over to the one her mother and the guys were sitting at. She and Mark sat down at that one, while her mother and the guys fixed themselves so that they were sitting around the two tables. Rory took off her jacket as Mark laughed at her statement.

"Oh, but it's so rare that it shows, Rory."

"I know, I went shopping for curtains with you." She laughed.

"Fun day" Mark said with a smirk.

"You guys want something?" Luke asked coming up to them.

"Hi Luke."

"Hey... Rory." He said nervously. Rory rolled her eyes.

"I thought you were all for the divorce." She asked.

"I was. I am!" He said. "Are you okay?"

"I'm not made of glass, Luke, I'm fine, not a scratch."

"I'm making you chocolate chip pancakes." He said.

"It's three in the afternoon."

"Doesn't matter, I'm making you pancakes."

"If that makes you feel better, Luke, then okay." Rory said with a smile, Luke nodded and left without taking any other orders.

"He loves you, babe." Lorelai told her.

"Yeah, he does, doesn't he?" Rory asked with a smile. "Where's Lexi?"

"Upstairs, you know how she loves Luke's old place."

Rory nodded. "So..."

"So?" Lorelai asked.

"I'm renting out the apartment to Dean." She said looking down at the table as she made circles with her finger, not seeing the shocked look on her mother's face along with the other three boys.

"I'm sorry." Lorelai said after recovering from the shock. "I don't think I heard you right. In my old age, I'm partially deaf in one ear. Mind repeating it into mommy's good ear?"

Rory rolled her eyes. "I'm renting the apartment to Dean."

Lorelai shot Mark a glare, "You talked her into this."

Mark raised his hand in surrender. "I did nothing of the sort. She brought it up out of nowhere. I knew nothing about it."

"It was my idea, mom." Rory said. "Don't blame Mark. I can't live in that apartment. I barely lived in it when me and Dean were married. I live in New Haven."

"Shh. Don't say that."

"What?"

"I liked that you had the apartment here."

"I barely even stepped foot in the place."

"But I liked that you had the _possibility_ of setting foot in the place."

"Mom... I didn't want it. Dean did. Plus I get to be his landlady." She said with a shrug. "And I can make him overpay. Trust me, it has it's good sides."

Lorelai sighed. "If you're sure."

"I am positive, but..."

"But there's a but?"

"I told Dean I'd be moved out in 24 hours, so I need three very strong strapping men to help me."

"I think this is where we come in." Colin said. Logan laughed and Finn just smirked.

"Of course we'll help you, love." Finn said.

"Good, we'll get packing materials once I finish my pancakes." Rory said as Luke set a plate of chocolate chip pancakes with whipped cream and a cherry on top, along with chocolate sprinkles. "Yum, thanks, Luke."

"No problem. Anyone else want something?"

"I want some pancakes," Lorelai said.

"You didn't get divorced today."

"Hey Luke, will you divorce me so I can get some pancakes, we'll get married again the minute I finish."

"No."

"How about separation for some coffee?"

"No."

"Just some coffee then?"

"Decaf."

"Ha, you kidder," Lorelai said with a wave of her hand. "Come on, just a two minute separation. I've got a lawyer and everything." Lorelai said with a wink as she got up and followed her husband to the counter.

Rory cut into her pancakes and smiled as she put it in her mouth, groaning in satisfaction. Mark smirked.

"Okay, Rory, I got to get going."

"Oh now, now, watching me eat isn't going to make you gain weight, you've still got the 0 body fat that Peter knows and loves."

"I'm not worried about that, Rory." Mark laughed grabbing his briefcase and standing up. "I have a meeting in Hartford that I can't miss, and I did promise Peter that I'd actually go home for dinner tonight."

"Ah, to be young and in love." Rory teased.

Mark rolled his eyes. "Next month?" He asked

"Tribeca, I'll be there. Tell Peter to bring that cute friend of his." Rory said with a wink, causing Mark to laugh.

"I will. Bye Rory." He said kissing her cheek. "You're sure you're fine?" He whispered.

"Go." Rory said sternly. Mark smiled and turned to the three men.

"It was nice meeting you all. And if any of you turn gay, I have a few friends." Mark said with a wink causing Rory to laugh and push him away. He kissed her cheek one last time, waved at Lorelai and left through the door.

"He seems nice." Logan said.

"He is." Rory said pushing her empty plate to the center of the table and bringing the coffee cup to her lips.

"We met last year at Yale, he was a senior and I but a lowly junior." Rory laughed. "He taught me how to drink, and he hates Dean with a passion which is why he readily agreed to be my lawyer for this divorce." She looked at her watch. "We should get going, we'll stop at the post office and get the packing supplies and off to the apartment." She said standing up and putting on her jacket and grabbing her purse. The guys stood up as well and followed her to the counter.

"You going, babe?" Lorelai asked.

"Yeah, but I'll stop by the house later?"

"Good, Lexi misses you."

"I miss her too." She smiled at Luke as she led the guys out of the diner and towards the post office. They walked in and Rory greeted the post master with a smile as she grabbed boxes, packing tape and bubble wrap and paid, making small talk, while the guys watched her in interest.

"It's got to be claustrophobic." Colin said.

"What?" Logan asked as Finn listened in, keeping his eyes on Rory.

"Living in a small town, where everyone knows everything about you. I mean it's got to be hard for her to be the talk of the town. I mean, she's probably had this angelic reputation as the town princess and now... well, now." Colin said.

"She's probably used to it." Logan said with a shrug.

"Use to being talked about by people who watched her grow up? Logan, she's not a part of our world. We, we are used to it. But her? I don't think so."

"You guys ready?" Rory asked, making Colin jump and Finn smirk.

"Um, yeah." Colin said as she walked out of the post office carrying the flat boxes and the bag with tape and bubble wrap. They walked back towards the law office where her car was parked.

"I'll help with the boxes, love." Finn said grabbing some.

"Thanks." She said handing over some. They reached the car and Finn grabbed the keys from his pocket and opened the trunk and deposited them in along with the ones Rory was carrying.

"Do you want to drive, love?"

"Yeah, it's just a few streets away." She said grabbing the keys and walking over to her side as the guys got in. She started the car and drove the few streets away in silence. Finn watched as she bit her lip. He smirked.

"You heard Colin." Finn stated. She turned to him, then eyed Colin through the rearview mirror before turning her eyes back to the road and making a right turn.

"Um no, what should I have heard Colin say?"

"You heard Colin and Logan talking." Finn stated.

"The girl just said she didn't Finn, let it go." Logan said

"Rory?" He asked.

"My god, of course I did, they were practically yelling." She gave in as she parked on the curb and got out. Finn turned to Logan and Colin who were both looking nervous.

"Nice going, jackasses." Finn said as he got out and helped Rory with the boxes. Logan sighed and pushed Colin as he got out. Colin got out as well, a bit more reluctantly than the others.

"Rory, I'm sorry." Colin said as he helped with the boxes.

"What's to be sorry about?" Rory asked. "The apartment is on the third floor, 105." She said as she grabbed the boxes and entered the building.

"Jeez, I didn't think she'd hear me." Colin muttered grabbing the boxes.

"It wasn't like we sullied her reputation," Logan muttered. They turned just in time to see Rory walking out of the apartment.

"Rory wait!" They heard someone yell. Rory turned back and crossed her arms over her chest.

"I told you I was packing up! You had no right to do that, Dean! Damn you!" She said pushing him back as he came forward. "You stay away from me right now."

"Rory, look, I thought you were having lunch at Luke's."

"So you decided screwing your girlfriend during the day was a good idea, knowing that I would be by. Bull, you're trying to rub it in my face."

"Rory, I swear we didn't know." She heard Lindsay say.

"You stay out of it," Rory said biting her tongue when more wanted to come out.

"Look, maybe me and Dean went about things wrong." Lindsay said.

"You slept with my husband." Rory said. "And this is all your fault."

"Dean would have come to me either way." Lindsay said.

"Thanks to me you have a roof over your head, so I would keep that mouth shut. Save it for when you have Dean on his back."

Finn, Logan and Colin stifled their laughter as Dean glared at them.

"Rory, you're taking this way to far."

"No you are. Get out, get out of my apartment and out of my face for the next twenty four hours or I swear to god I'll call Paris and sic her on you." Rory said with a glare as she pushed past both of them and went back inside.

"Come on, Lindsay." Dean said holding out his hand.

"I have to get my purse if we're going out." Lindsey said.

"No, you don't, come on." He said as he grabbed her hand and walked her down the street, glaring at the three guys as he opened his truck door and let Lindsay get in. They watched as he went around his truck and pulled out and drove down the street, before walking up to the apartment complex. They walked up the three flights of stairs and walked down the hall.

"What was the number again?" Logan asked.

"I don't think we need it." Colin said as he pointed to the open door. They walked over and saw Rory walking back and forth from one part of the apartment to the other, mumbling under her breath.

"Rory?" Logan asked cautiously.

"I knew he had her up here, god I knew." She said stopping in the middle of the apartment and covering her face. She pushed her hair back before lifting her face to look at them. "I have some things in the bedroom and the bathroom, the only thing here in the living room are pictures. You guys can figure out which ones, right?"

They nodded and Rory sighed. "Thanks." She said before turning and walking down the hall.

"Finn." Logan said.

"What?" He asked as they walked further into the apartment and assembled some boxes.

"Go talk to her. You're closer to her than any of us." Colin said. Finn sighed, contemplated and glared at Colin before walking down the hall and walking into the bedroom. He saw her at the closet throwing clothes onto the unmade bed. He suddenly got why Rory had come running out of the house mad as hell.

"Love?" He asked. She stopped before looking over at him.

"Hi Finn."

"Hello." He said sitting on the bed. She looked through the clothes in the closet, grabbing women's clothes and examining before putting them on the bed or jamming back in the closet. "What are you doing?"

"I'm separating my clothes from the whore's." She said as she got out a pair of jeans, looked at the size and jammed it back into the closet.

"Don't you think that's a bit harsh, love?"

She sent him a glare. "No."

"Right." He said as she threw a blue turtleneck into the pile. "Are you all right?"

"I just caught my newly ex-husband screwing his girlfriend on the bed that we shared... No, I'm not fine."

"Rory, you need to stop and calm down." He said standing up and taking her away from the closet.

"I am calm."

"No, you're a deadly calm, totally different thing, love."

"I just..."She looked at the bed before looking up at him. "What did I do?" She asked. "What did I do that was so wrong that made him cheat on me? Was it because I didn't sleep with him? Or was it because I put my education before him?"

"I don't know."

"Colin's right."

"About what?" Finn asked confused.

"About me not being used to the talk. I am Stars Hollow Princess, their innocent virgin, I can do no wrong. And now with this divorce... I screwed up. I failed the town." She said, tears gleaming in her eyes.

"No, Rory."

"Me and Dean were the American couple. We were perfect and I failed." The tears slipped down her cheeks. He shook his head.

"You didn't fail, Rory, and perfect isn't always perfect."

"Cause that makes perfect sense." She said with a watery laugh.

He laughed as well. "What I meant is that what may seem perfect, isn't. Now I don't know much about your relationship with Dean, but I get the feeling it wasn't all that perfect."

"No, it wasn't."

"Why did you stay with him, Rory?"

Rory gave a shrug. "I don't know. It just felt like I had to. The town had gotten so used to us being together and in love, and..." She shrugged again and wiped her tears. "It felt like an obligation to the town to be with him. Don't get the wrong idea. I did love him,"

"I never thought you didn't."

"But after a while... it just changed." She pulled away from Finn and went back to the closet. "We were so in love in high school you know, and then college came and we changed. But we didn't want to..." Rory trailed off.

"Rory, what is it?" She pulled out something from the closet and held it up for him to see. It was a white wedding gown, covered in a plastic covering.

"My wedding dress." She said setting it down on the bed carefully. "It's really over, isn't it?"

"I think it is, love." Rory nodded as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder both staring at the dress.

_**

* * *

AN:**_ Hey you guys! Hope you enjoyed the Finn and Rory talk. More Rory and Finn action to come! 

Hope you all enjoyed and go press the pretty blue/purple button. You know you want to... it tempts you with its shininess... oh come on! Press it!

Kassandra

P.S: Credit for the chapter name is all thanks to my beta Flynn. I just loved that name lol.


	15. Change

_**Part 15: Change**_

When all the boxes were loaded and the apartment locked, goodbyes were said and they were on their way back to New Haven. Finn behind the wheel, Rory in the passenger's seat and Logan and Colin in back. Rory leaned her forehead on the cool glass and gave a sigh. It was really over, she thought, her belongings and a relationship that had lasted seven years were all packed up in the few boxes in the back.

Though everyone told her different, she couldn't help but think it was her fault. And the more she packed, the more she realized that she hadn't tried hard enough.

All through high school she had been happy, knowing that she had the perfect all-American boyfriend. He got along with Lane, her mother loved him and Luke tolerated him. He would pick her up everyday from the bus stop with a cup of coffee in his hand and a kiss. He played pick up basketball with friends and hockey for Stars Hollow High. He loved his sister and respected his parents. Every moment not studying or at school or with her mother had been with him. He was safe, Rory thought as she crossed her arms over her chest and tucked her feet under herself in the car seat.

He had always been there, understanding and caring. He understood her need for perfection, and her need to strive in life. Though he didn't read the same books as her, or listen to the same music and was mediocre when it came to keeping up with the pop culture references her mother and she used, they had always gotten along.

Gotten along, never loved. It had taken a three week break up for her to tell him she loved him. Not because she felt it, but because she wanted him. She couldn't deal with the fact that he wasn't a constant in her life anymore. She missed him not being there to pick her up with the coffee and the kiss, she missed him not begging her to come to the basketball or hockey games. She missed the routine and the safety of knowing that she had that routine.

They had gotten back together and hadn't split since. That had been her sophomore year of high school.

"Jeez." She whispered with a shake of her head.

"You all right?" Finn asked.

"Fine." She whispered looking back out the window. She had been with him all that time and she had always thought they had been happy. There were few arguments about how she wasn't ready to have sex, he would always leave in anger and her in tears, then would come back apologizing. And she would always take him back. Then her sophomore year passed as did her junior year and senior year came. The time that she knew that Dean and her were going different ways, but she refused to say anything.

She remembered that she had come from school and he hadn't been there waiting for her.

"He cheated on me." Rory said causing all three boys to stop talking and look at her.

"We know." Logan said. Rory laughed and shook her head.

"I mean earlier in our relationship, I caught him cheating on me." Rory said still looking out the window, not wanting to meet their eyes. She was ashamed, that much was certain.

"What happened, love?" Finn asked touching her hand lightly. Rory sighed.

"I got back from school and was supposed to meet him at the bus stop. We always met at the bus stop. Well, he wasn't there. I thought that maybe he had started a game of basketball down at the school and it had run late. So I shrugged it off and walked to Luke's to meet mom." She frowned. "I remember mom being fidgety, real nervous. I asked her what was up and she very quickly answered nothing, but she would keep looking outside. It wasn't until later that I figured out that from my mom's seat she got a clear view of Dean and Lindsay making out."

"Lindsay, isn't that..."

"Dean's new girlfriend." Rory said bitterly. "It wasn't until we started home that I saw them. My mom asked me if I was okay and I nodded and we walked the rest of the way home. I didn't cry, I didn't scream or yell or curse God, why my boyfriend did it. I was just calm."

"Sometimes calm is worse." Colin said.

"Not for me," Rory whispered. "He came by later that night and we went outside and sat on the swing. We just sat there, his arm around me and me against him. I, very calmly, told him that I had seen him and Lindsay. He tensed and said that he didn't know what I was talking about. It made me angry, but I stayed calm and told him that it was better if he just admitted what he did than to lie about it. And he did, he told me that he had made out with her, but he loved me and it didn't mean anything."

"And you dumped his ass, right?" Logan asked. Rory shrugged.

"No, obviously not if I married him. I just shrugged it off and told him that I would let it slide just as long as he didn't do it anymore and he agreed. By that summer we were engaged."

"How old were you?" Colin asked.

"Eighteen. It was at the summer festival, we were walking around and he all of a sudden asked me to marry him. I'm the kind of person that analyzes everything, makes pro/con lists, weighs the options and decides. I didn't even do that. I said yes, because it was expected. We were the perfect couple of Stars Hollow and I was expected to say yes."

"What ended up going wrong?" Finn asked. She hadn't talked much about her relationship with her ex-husband, they only knew the basics.

"We grew up. During the summer I got the apartment in Stars Hollow, just to know that I had somewhere to go after finals and I didn't have to depend on my mom. He ended up moving in. What started out as staying the night, ended up with him moving in. I didn't mind, we would be married. But I moved into Yale and any time that I went to Stars Hollow was spent with my mom and Dean. I always spent the night at my mom's seeing as I would leave in the morning to get to my first class. And I knew then that Dean was taking advantage of having the apartment, and with me not around, there was no problem."

"You knew?" Logan asked. Rory shrugged.

"I turned a blind eye and played the part of a blushing bride. I knew, but I also knew that we were different. And in the three years it took to plan the wedding, we were married two months ago, even though we both knew that it wasn't even worth the effort to be together. Last year my grandparents got the apartment in New Haven and without even thinking about Dean, I asked Paris to move in with me."

"You had two different lives." Finn stated. She turned to look at him then and found his eyes were on the road. She gave a slight nod.

"Yeah, my society slash college life and the life of a small town fiancée. My grandparents weren't too happy with me getting married in the first place, but offered to pay for the wedding; we let them. I planned and worked my ass off at school. I planned the perfect wedding, right there in the center of town. And we got married. And you know what's funny?" Rory said with a slight laugh.

Colin and Logan looked at each other before Finn responded. "What, love?"

"I saw her, after we said our vows and were going to walk back down the aisle, I turned to get my bouquet from my mom and I saw Lindsay standing there, staring and smiling. And when I turned to Dean, he was smiling back. And I knew that it wouldn't last. One of the many reasons I never slept with him."

"You didn't?" Colin asked in surprise.

"I thought you guys knew that." Rory said looking back at them. They shook their heads. Rory shrugged. "I never slept with him, I am very much a virgin."

"One of the only ones we know." Logan teased, causing Finn and Colin to laugh. Rory smiled and turned back around in her seat to look out her window.

She had pushed Dean out of her life when she started Yale. As much as she hated to say it, he just didn't fit into that world of hers. As much as they tried to make him feel fit, he was like the extra puzzle piece that never fit in any of the empty spaces, no matter how much you turned, flipped and pushed.

Her mother said she was going to grow and move out of Stars Hollow, make a name for herself and never rely on anyone but herself, she'd forget all about the lowly Stars Hollow folk and only come back when she had died making Rory laugh. Truth was Stars Hollow was her life, and no matter how big and famous she got, or how far away she moved, she could never forget those characters.

She hadn't realized that her mother had been trying to tell her something. Lorelai had been trying to tell her that she was a very independent person. She didn't rely on anyone else, refused to. She did everything on her own, never asking for help until it really was needed. She had been trying to tell her that Dean wasn't always going to fit in her life, no matter how many times she flipped, turned and pushed. He couldn't always be her safety net. He couldn't always be that part of her everyday routine. And he wouldn't always be the caring, patient guy he had been in high school.

Change sucked, Rory thought with a slight laugh. It really, really sucked.

"You know, there's been something that's been bugging me." Finn said, causing Rory to turn at the sudden sound of his voice.

"What?" She asked looking out at the road.

"Something Mark said."

"My lawyer Mark?" Rory asked confused. What had Mark said that had bugged Finn?

"Yeah, something about the Tribeca?"

Rory frowned, had Mark... she thought about it and laughed.

"Yeah, what about it?" Rory asked, she knew what Finn was getting at.

"No, nothing, just wondering why you're going to New York."

She saw Logan and Colin smirk from the rearview mirror causing her to smile and turn back to Finn. "Tradition."

"What's the tradition?"

"Meeting at Tribeca once a month." Rory said biting her tongue to keep from laughing. She loved watching Finn squirm. He turned to glare at her, then turned back on the road and stayed silent for the rest of the way to New Haven. He parked her car in front of the building and they sat there for a minute.

"Do you want us to help you unload?" Logan asked. Rory nodded.

"Please." They gave a nod and got out of the car. Finn opened the trunk and they got some of the packed boxes and started inside. Logan talked to one of the men that worked in the apartment complex to watch the car, making sure no one would go through the open trunk, or to even get some people to help them and send them up to Rory's apartment.

Rory pushed the up arrow for the elevator and stepped in, the boys behind her. Finn pushed the ten button and the doors closed. Rory put down the box and grabbed her keys from her purse, so she wouldn't be looking for them like she did every day of her life when she got to the door. She frowned when she couldn't find them, then remembered Finn had her keys.

"Finn, my keys." Rory said grabbing her box and stepping off the elevator. Finn got them out of his pocket and handed them to her as they reached her door. She found the key and unlocked the door kicking it open and walking inside.

"Just put them in the living room, I'll fix them later. I have to go through some of it anyway," she said as Logan, Colin and Finn brought in the boxes along with some employees from the complex.

"The trunk is closed, sir." One of the men said. "This is the last of them."

"Thanks." Logan said tipping the man and leading him out.

"Do you guys want something to drink? I have water, and water and..." She thought about it for a moment. "and water. And of course coffee."

"Water's fine, love." Finn laughed. Rory nodded and went into the kitchen. She opened the refrigerator and grabbed the bottles of water, then kicked it closed as she started off a pot of coffee and noticing a note from Paris sitting next to it, knowing it was the first place Rory went the minute she got home.

_Furniture shopping with Doyle, be back late._

_Paris_

Rory threw the note away, pressed the on button on her coffee pot and looked back in her refrigerator form something to eat, finding... nothing. She grabbed the phone and dialed.

"Tony's."

"Hey Tony." Rory said walking back into the living and setting the bottles down. She saw the guys sitting on her couch. She sat on the floor and started to open the boxes.

"Rory! My favorite girl!" Tony said in his thick Italian accent.

"You say that to all your customers."

"Only to my favorites."

"Of course."

"What can I do for you today, _cara_?"

Rory had to smile at the Italian endearment "Surprise me, you know I'll eat anything if it's yours." Rory said. "Whatever you pick, send two with extra cheesy bread."

"You spoil me."

"The feeling's mutual, Tony, say hi to the crew."

"I will, I'll send it down with Marco in fifteen minutes."

"Thanks, Tony."

"Bye_ cara_." Rory smiled and hung up before frowning at the pictures. Most of them were of her and Dean.

"Did you just order food?" Colin asked.

"Yep." Rory said frowning at the pictures. "You guys suck at packing." Rory said.

"Hey!" Logan protested. Rory looked at him.

"I told you to pack pictures, you guys packed a bunch of me and Dean... we're divorced... you guys suck." Rory laughed moving to another box.

"We didn't know which ones you wanted." Colin said, a little panicked.

"It's fine." Rory said with a shrug and a laugh. She opened another box and looked through the clothes and pushed it away. "I hate unpacking." She said leaning back on the floor and pushing the box away.

"It's a horrid experience." Colin said making Rory laugh.

"I have a feeling you've never unpacked anything in your life."

"Hey," Colin protested. "Yeah, you're right."

"I thought so."

"So what did you order?" Logan asked. Rory shrugged.

"I have no idea, we will see what Marco brings."

"You know the delivery guys by name?" Logan asked. Rory nodded.

"There's this little pizza shop down the street owned by the Franconis and they are this traditional Italian family and everything. They moved down here last year from Italy and I've been their number one customer. Tony knows what I like, so anything he brings me will be good and within my budget."

They heard the door open and Paris stalk into the living room. "Doyle, one last time 'No!'"

"It's a nice couch!"

"NO!" Paris said going into their room.

"Paris!"

"NO!"

"PARIS!"

"NO!"

"God, I'm going to miss that!" Rory said with a smile, watching the couple argue in their room.

"NO, Doyle!"

"It's a nice couch!"

"Just because you keep saying that doesn't mean it makes it a better couch!"

"You guys want something to drink?" Rory yelled.

"We're fine. Marco was outside with your food." Paris yelled back. Rory smiled as she got up and went to the door.

"Marco!" Rory said walking to the open door where a thin man was standing holding paper bags in his hand

"Hello Rory," he said holding the bags out.

"Your father outdid himself once again."

"He loves you, _bella._"

"A little too much... oh, cheesy bread."

Marco smiled and turned to leave when Rory called him back.

"I haven't paid yet."

"Oh no, we've heard about your situation."

"My situation?" Rory asked with a frown

"Your divorce, _si_?"

"Oh, but I mean, I should still pay."

"It's on us, Rory." Marco said with a smile before turning back around and getting on the elevator.

"Too much love." Rory muttered closing the door. She set the bags on the table and sat on the floor. "One good thing about this divorce? Free food."

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

**_AN:_** I know, short, I'm not really happy with the chapter. It's seems forced. Sorry. I wasn't really wanting to write this chapter... hence why it's forced. But think of it this way, all writers go through their sucky periods and this is mine, lol. Ugh. I know there's a lack of Finn and Rory interaction. Sorry... but trust me, there will be more interaction in the next chapter.

Update next Sunday.

Kassandra


	16. Giraffes are Not Fuzzy Animals!

_**Part 16: Giraffes are not fuzzy animals!**_

"Paris!"

"Doyle, I'm telling you one last time 'No!' That couch is hideous. You have worse taste than my mother, father and that old Miss Hannigan!"

"Ouch." Rory said from her position against Finn. Logan and Colin had left earlier, and Finn had stayed to help her unpack. They were currently taking a break and watched Paris and Doyle argue about a couch.

"Is it really that bad?" Finn asked in amusement. Paris turned to him and dug around her discarded purse handing a Polaroid to Finn. Rory scooted closer and winced when she saw the couch while Finn's face distorted in disgust.

"That is a butt ugly couch." Rory said. It was a grayish bluish couch with pink flowers all around it, with fabric that became sticky with age. All in all it was a horrible couch.

"It should be burned." Finn said handing the picture back.

"Told you, three against one, we are not getting that couch." Paris said.

"Fine."

"Fine." Paris said crossing her arms over her chest. "So what do we do?"

"Shop for end tables." Doyle said starting to walk towards the door. Paris growled.

"Any fuzzy animal carvings and I refuse to marry you!" Paris yelled following him.

"You love me." Doyle replied. They heard the door click, but not before hearing Paris's explicit response.

Rory laughed as she stood up and went to her room. Finn followed her. She was at her bed folding clothes. He leaned against the door and watched her go from her bed to her dresser or throw them on the floor.

"Break's over, huh?" He asked. She turned around and smiled.

"I can't deal with my room being a mess." She confessed as she hung up a white sundress. Finn walked over to her and stood next to her closet watching her. Just as she was about to turn to go back to her bed, he grabbed her arm and brought her to him, wrapping an arm around her waist, her hands automatically on his chest to keep her balance.

"Hi." He said.

"Hey." She whispered.

"So I was thinking."

"Really?" She teased

He glared at her playfully. "Yes, now that you're a free woman..."

"Finn." She sighed.

"Yes?"

"I can't."

"And why not?"

Rory smiled and ran her fingers down his cheek. "Even though I'm over Dean, I need to get my life together. Completely together."

"And..." He started as he pushed off the wall, his arms still around her and he walked her toward the bed. "How long do you think that's going to take?"

"I don't know." Rory replied with a smile as her knees hit the edge of the bed and he lowered her slowly.

"A week, a month, two months?" He asked, their faces millimeters apart as he lay on top of her, his weight on his forearms so as to not crush her.

"I don't know." She whispered, her fingers once again running down his cheek and up his jaw to wrap around his neck.

"I don't think I can wait that long." He whispered back.

"Finn," she bit her lip and watched as his glance moved from her eyes to her lips then back up, his eyes a darker shade of green than they had been a second before.

"Don't bite your lip." He said kissing her lightly so that she would let go. "I can't resist you when you bite your lip."

Rory laughed. "So is that your weakness?"

"One of many." He admitted with a smirk.

"Oh really, want to share with the class, Mr. Rothschild?"

His smirk faded and he looked at her seriously. "When you tuck your hair in behind your ear." He said tucking in a strand behind her ear. "When you feign innocence."

"I do not feign innocence." She protested.

He laughed. "Love, you feign with the best of them. You may be a virgin, but you're not as naive as you come off to be."

"And how do you know?"

"I just do, you're unselfish, and kind, caring about others."

"Like who?"

"Paris, your mother. No one I have ever met has a relationship with their mother like you do."

"You've seen us together twice."

"And with those two times I can tell you two are unbelievably close. You don't care about the status."

"Money isn't important."

"And your eyes."

Rory blinked and stared at him. "My eyes?"

"Hypnotizing eyes," he whispered before kissing her, a brush of lips that made both moan upon contact. He pulled back and looked in her eyes. "They hypnotized me from the moment I saw you."

"Oh yeah? When was that?"

He smirked. "My mum's place, when we were shopping with Steph." He said, his fingers running down her cheek this time. "You had your nose buried in a book."

"I was studying." She defended.

"And you looked up," He contiuned ignoring her defense. "and I knew that I would do anything for you with a snap of your fingers."

"Oh really?"

"I didn't know you, but I knew you had that power, love. You have that affect on guys."

"I don't have an affect on guys," she said quietly before looking away. Finn studied her, but decided he wouldn't push the subject. The fact that she made him hard with just a look of her baby blues could be pushed at another time.

"I'm going to kiss you now." He said. She looked back at him and raised an eyebrow.

"Isn't that what you've been doing?"

He smirked. "It's going to be different."

"Finn."

"It gets harder to wait, love."

"I know..."

"You know those leashes I was talking about a few weeks ago? The ones of my self-restraint?"

"Yeah?"

"It's getting harder to pull those leashes back, love. I'm losing my grip."

"I'm sorry..."

"I'm going to kiss you now." He repeated. She gave a small nod before he captured her lips with his own.

Different was the word he had used to describe the kiss. Sure, they had both been kissed before, her by her ex husband and him by the many redheads and blondes he had been with. But never had they both been impacted like this.

He sucked and nipped at her lower lip, almost pleading for her mouth to open. And when she did, he was in almost instantly, exploring the warm crevice of her mouth, his tongue dueling with hers. Her hand on his cheek and arm around his neck bringing him closer.

When air became an issue, he pulled away and looked at her, both trying to regain air into their lungs.

"Go out with me, Rory." He said still trying to catch his breath. He watched her close her eyes and push him off of her, so that she could sit on the bed instead of lying. He moved off of her and leaned against the wall. There was no telling what he'd do if he was on top of her.

"I guess those leashes got the best of you, huh?" She asked running a hand through her hair.

He smirked and gave a nod. "I might have let go some. Go out with me."

She sighed and he watched her close her eyes yet again, then look up at him. "I'm busy all this week. Work and school. I have tests I need to take. Papers I need to write."

"Next week then." He watched her shake her head.

"Going out of town. New York."

"Tribeca?"

"Yeah. It's a tradition. We all get together and shop down in New York for two days. It's on Wednesday and Thursday."

"Friday?"

She bit her lip. "I'm going to dinner with my grandparents."

"Saturday?"

"You are really desperate." She laughed.

"I just want a date, love."

"I have to baby-sit Lexi."

"You are being impossible. Next you'll say that on Sunday you have to wash your hair."

"Well..."

"Oh now."

"I'm free on Sunday, Finn."

"Too bad I'm not."

"Now who's being impossible?"

"You're not the only one with a life, love." He teased.

"I know that, what are you doing on Sunday?"

"I've got a rugby game down at the park."

"I didn't know you still play."

"Sometimes, some friends asked me to come and play and I accepted. It's on Sunday."

"Well, Mr. Rothschild, I'm going to take this as a sign that maybe it's just not meant to be."

"Or it's just a case of bad timing."

"Maybe." She sighed.

"What about Sunday night?" He asked. Rory looked up.

"I'm not sure, depends on my mom and moon alignments."

"All right, _now_ you're being impossible."

"I'm free."

"Good."

"Finn…"

"Yes?"

"I don't… I'm not… This is just…" She ran a hand through her hair. "This is just a date, I'm not quite ready for a relationship yet."

"Think of me as a rebound guy." He said causing her to shake her head.

"I like you too much to think of you as a rebound guy, Finn." She admitted. "I don't want to hurt you along with myself."

"All right." He went over and lowered himself so that he could look at her face from her position on the bed. "Then think of this as a test run. We go out, we have nothing in common, then we know that this relationship is doomed to fail; no harm, no foul."

"But…"

"But, if we find ourselves having fun, laughing, talking, then maybe down the line, when we're both ready, we could give it a go."

Rory sighed and gave a nod. "All right."

"All right." He stood up and took her hand helping her up as well. "I should get going. At this moment Colin is probably picking up and hanging up the phone cursing the day he looked into Steph's eyes."

Rory laughed. "I'll walk you out."

"PARIS!" They heard the door slam closed.

"I said no fuzzy animals!" Paris yelled going to her room, just as Doyle followed her.

"Giraffes are not fuzzy animals!"

"It has fur! I refused to live in a safari! I refuse to marry you if you put me in that capacity so help me god, Doyle!"

"Paris!" They walked into the room and slammed the door closed.

"God, I am really going to miss that." Rory whispered as she led him down the hall to the front door. She opened the front door and let him out, her leaning against the door jamb.

"So… See you later?" He asked. She gave a nod.

"Definitely." She was about to close the door, when he heard him call her name. She looked back out and saw him standing a few feet away, looking at her. She smiled.

"What?" She asked.

"Just don't change your mind all right."

Rory smiled and nodded. "I won't."

"Good." He walked the rest of the way down the hall and pushed the button for the elevator, and walked in. Rory watched the doors close before she closed her own and walked back to her room, past the heated argument in the next bedroom and closed her room door and began cleaning up.

She had a date with Finn. She had to smile.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

Finn walked into his apartment and hung up his coat looking at his two friends. Logan was sitting on one end of the couch reading the paper, glancing up every once in a while to watch TV, while Colin was on the other end picking up the phone, dialing three numbers, then hanging up.

"How you doing, Colin?" Logan asked

"I dialed three this time."

"Good, now let's try for four."

"You're patronizing me."

"Yep."

"Bastard."

"Yep."

"Hey mates." Finn said throwing himself on the recliner, grabbing the remote from the table and switching the channel.

"Hey, did you and Rory finish unpacking?

"No, we were almost done."

"I thought you were going to help her finish." Colin asked looking over at him after hanging up the phone. "Four numbers."

"Try for five, Colin. What happened?" Logan asked.

"Nothing, we just... kissed..."

Logan and Colin looked at him with wide eyes.

"You kissed?" Colin asked.

"Well, I kissed her. Again."

"Again!" Logan said getting up from the couch and putting his paper down.

"Yeah, and now we're going out next Sunday."

"Is she your..." Colin started.

"Girlfriend?" Finn finished, both nodded. "No, we're just going to see what it's like. A test run if you will."

"What is she, a car?" Logan asked.

Finn sighed. "You had to be in the conversation to get it, Logan. It makes sense to us and that's all that matters."

"Right, now they have their own secret code. Next she'll be coming over to redecorate," Colin muttered.

"I thought you liked her?"

"I do." Colin said. "Just... never mind."

"All right, now what are you guys doing next Wednesday and Thursday?" Finn asked with a smirk. Colin and Logan looked at each other before sighing and answering their respective 'nothings'.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

Rory sat on the couch cross legged in her pajamas, with a bowl of popcorn at her side and a tub of ice cream in between her legs.

With her belongings all unpacked, she had gotten comfortable and put in _Dodgeball_, the unrated version, for a good laugh. She heard the door to Paris's room open, then close, then Paris sit down beside her, cross her arms over her chest and her foot tap on the ground impatiently. Rory rolled her eyes, sighing she paused the movie and turned to face her friend.

"Okay Paris, what's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Paris?"

"Doyle is being impossible."

"Compromise." Was all Rory said, knowing exactly what they were talking about.

"Compromise one what?"

"Paris, Doyle just wants to have a say in the apartment. Just like he's going to want a say in the wedding, Just let him pick something that's not important. Like... the color of the bathroom. Let him have a pick of three colors you happen to like, but can't decide on and just go with what he says. Or... give him a choice of two couches you like, but can't decide on, let him choose."

"Right."

"Just give him choices instead of walking into store and asking him what he likes. Because that's just going to cause more problems."

"Okay." Paris said with a nod. "Now that my problem is solved, what's going on with you and the Aussie?"

Rory couldn't help but smile. "Nothing."

"Rory?"

"We're going out next Sunday night."

"Really, why wait?"

"I'm busy for the next two weeks."

"Really?"

"The rest of the week, I've got work and classes, then next week I'm going to New York."

"Right, shop week."

"Then on Friday I have Friday night dinner, Saturday I have to baby-sit Lexi while mom and Luke go out. And on Sunday Finn has a rugby game so we decided on Sunday night after his game."

"And you're sure, you're ready for a relationship?"

"It's not a relationship, Paris. It's a test run."

"What is he, a car?"

"You had to be listening to the conversation. It makes sense to us."

"Aww, your own private codes."

"Shut up, Paris." Rory said with a pout.

Paris smirked. "You like him."

"A lot." Rory admitted.

"I like seeing you happy, Ror."

"Thanks, Paris."

They both turned around. Rory unpaused the movie and they watched it in silence for a few minutes. Then Paris spoke.

"You know, if you feel uncomfortable living alone, I know someone who might be willing to move in."

Rory turned to Paris and frowned "Who?"

"Jules."

Rory laughed. "As much as I love Jules, no."

"Why not?"

"I'd rather live by myself."

"All right, just let me know if you change your mind."

"I will." Rory laughed. Yeah, she could definitely live alone. For the first time in her life, she actually reveled in the fact.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

**_A.N:_** hey guys, thanks so much for all the reviews! I'm hoping this was enough Finn and Rory action for you all! Next chapter be prepared for a surprise guest! Come on you know you wanna guess! And in order for me to get your guess you have to review! Hehe I love my loopholes!

Keep on reading!

Kassandra

P.S: Thanks to Flynn, who is the best beta a girl could ask her! Be sure to thank her you guys! Without her you wouldn't even have these Fanfics!


	17. Lost Childhoods

_**Part 17: Lost Childhoods**_

"Are you sure it's okay?" Rory asked putting her over night bag in the trunk. It was six in the morning and Rory was going to go to New York to meet with friends. It was always the same conversation each month when Rory left. She was worried her and Doyle would burn the apartment down.

"Go, have fun. Me and Doyle will be out of the apartment by the time you get back," Paris yawned

"Don't say that, Paris, now I'm all depressed."

"The minute you reach New York, the depression will be gone."

"You sure you don't want to go?"

"No, it's your time with them. Go, have fun, you rarely get to see him and I know you miss him."

"Like the dickens." Rory said with a smile. "I'll be back Thursday night."

"Great," Paris said looking down the street before hugging Rory, causing her to laugh and hug her friend back. "Have fun, Rory."

"I will," Rory said pulling back. "I'll call you the minute I get there."

"Send my love."

"I will." Rory repeated as she got in her car and waved before pulling out of the space. Paris watched as the car was down the street before turning around and walking back into the apartment building. She got onto the elevator. Instead of pushing ten to go back to her apartment and crawling back into bed with her fiancé like any sane person, she pushed fourteen and made her way to a certain Aussie's apartment.

She walked down the hall and struck the door hard. If anyone was asleep in there, they weren't anymore. The door swung open and she came face to face with Colin who was yawning, but dressed.

"Hi Paris."

"Move!" Paris said pushing the door open and walking into the apartment. Logan came out the kitchen holding three thermoses in his hands and he put them on the coffee table.

"Nice PJ's, Geller." Logan smirked looking at her pink pajama bottoms with Dalmatians on them and her winter coat.

"Where's the Aussie?"

"Why?" Colin asked with another yawn as he closed the door.

"Because I need to talk to him."

The door to Finn's bedroom opened and he came down the hall. "Hi Paris, what can I do for you this early in the morning?"

"You're going to New York, aren't you?" Paris asked, her arms crossing over her chest.

"We have a business there." Finn said with a nod.

"Right, of course, and that business just happens to include a brown-haired, blue-eyed girl."

"Perhaps."

Paris glared walked up to him and poked his chest. "You ruin this trip for her and I will kill you, Finn."

"Why?"

Paris looked at him. "What?"

"Why would you kill me if I ruin this trip for her?"

Paris sighed. "She's going to go see a friend, a very important friend to her. She very rarely gets to see him and when she does, she's the happiest I've ever seen her. She comes back smiling and laughing and when she was with Dean that usually stayed until he burst he bubble and sent her home crying. This time around she's not with Dean and I want her to stay happy for a while, not just the mandatory two days. She deserves to be happy. And her friend makes her happy. Very, very happy."

"Is he like a potential boyfriend?" Logan asked. Paris shook her head.

"No, he's… just a really good family friend. They're close and Dean didn't like him." Paris shook her head. She was sharing too much; she turned back to Finn. "Just don't ruin it for her. If you see her walking down the street, just don't go up to her. She doesn't need a stalker right now."

Finn nodded. "Fine."

"Good." Paris turned and walked towards the door then turned back. "She's going to be at the Tribeca Grand Hotel in Manhattan all afternoon. From the minute she gets there which is around twelve to three. They sit near the back and she likes apple martinis when she's there. She's staying there with a friend."

"The guy friend?" Colin asked. Paris shrugged and left closing the door behind her.

"Well, if we want to get there to see her, we better haul ass." Logan said as they gathered their things.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

"She's not even here yet." Logan groaned. They had driven to Hartford and taken the Huntzberger plane to New York getting there around nine and checked into the Hilton. By eleven thirty they were at the Tribeca restaurant, ordering food and sitting near the back.

They had seen Rory's lawyer, Mark, along with who they assumed was his boyfriend seeing as they were holding hands, sit down at a table ten minutes after they had arrived. Ten minutes later a guy with black hair and a leather jacket came in smiling, holding a dozen red roses in his hand. He took off his jacket and hugged the two men before sitting down.

Since they were only two tables behind them, hidden by a glass pane they could hear tidbits of the conversation.

"She's going to be very excited when she sees you." Mark said taking a drink of his beer.

"Two years. She's going to kill me when she finds out." The other guy stated.

"She'll be happy for you." Mark's boyfriend, Peter, said with a smile. "Trust me, she'll be happy."

"I know she'll be happy, I just hope she doesn't kill me for not telling her sooner."

"She's not just going to be happy, Jess, she's going to be proud."

The guy sighed "Yeah, right. Let's just hope you're right."

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

Rory parked in front for the Tribeca Grand Hotel in the heart of Manhattan with a smile on her face, though she hated getting up early and hated traffic. The minute she stepped inside, it would all be worth it.

She walked into the lighted hallway and straight to the restaurant. She went to the bar and ordered her regular of apple martini and pointed to the table in the back. The bartender nodded and she smiled as she walked to the table and spotted him. He looked over at her and smiled back getting up and opening his arms in welcome. Rory laughed as she ran over to him and jumped in his arms. Two years was a long time without seeing him.

He picked her up and squeezed her tight before putting her back down on the floor.

"Jeez, Rory, you gained weight."

"Shut it, Jess." She laughed as she hugged him again. He laughed and hugged her tighter. He let go and went to the table and picked up the flowers giving them to her.

"From Italy I presume?" Rory laughed taking a sniff of the buds.

"Down the street." He teased. She hit him with her hand and laughed as well.

"Jerk." She muttered.

"So what, you don't see a guy in two years and he gets all the hugs, what about us?" Mark asked as he and Peter stood up.

"I see you guys everyday. I haven't seen Jess in forever." She defended as she put the flowers back on the table and went to hug her two friends. They laughed as they sat down and Rory's drink was brought.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

"There, we have a name, can we go now?" Colin asked taking a drink of the scotch he and Logan had ordered.

"I just want to see why it's so important that she sees this guy." Finn answered.

"You heard Mark, she hasn't seen him in two years. Apparently they're close, come on, Finn. I feel weird about invading her privacy like this." Logan said downing his own scotch.

Finn sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Come on, we'll go out the back."

"So what? We came to New York just to take two drinks of scotch and go home again?" Colin asked rising and paying the bill.

Logan shrugged. "Let's just walk around. We don't have classes till tomorrow anyway."

Finn nodded in agreement. "No need to let a good trip to New York be cut short. Let's go."

They made their way out not noticing that a blue-eyed girl had caught a glimpse of them before turning her attention back onto the man next to her.

"So you and Dean are finally over, huh?" Jess asked taking a sip of his water, his arm around the back of Rory's chair.

Rory nodded. "Yeah, officially last week."

"And everything legit?" Jess asked looking aver at Mark.

"Everything's good. Seeing as they didn't have any property that they owned together, there was nothing to divide. Except the apartment."

"It's under Rory's name. I helped you haggle for that damn thing." Jess said looking over at the nervous girl.

"You just had to bring that up." Rory said glaring at Mark who raised his hands.

"I didn't know it was taboo."

"Good game. We should play." Peter said trying to change the subject.

"Rory?" Jess asked.

"I'm renting out the apartment to Dean."

"What!" Jess practically yelled, a few heads turning their way.

"It's not that big of a deal, Jess. "

"He cheat…"

"I know what he did and he's paying for it. Believe me, he's paying for it. He's going to be working for Taylor Doose for a long time to pay what he needs to cover rent. If I can't kill them, then I might as well settle for having them live under an apartment I own and have them remember that."

"I love the way your mind works." Jess said kissing her cheek.

"This is where we take our leave." Peter said looking at Mark. Mark nodded and got out of his seat.

"We'll meet you two for dinner." Mark said, taking Peter's hand in his and walking out of the restaurant with a wave. Jess moved over to the other side of the table so he could face Rory.

"So other than the divorce, what's new?" Jess asked with a smile. She shrugged.

"Paris and Doyle are getting married, she sends her love by the way."

"I doubt that girl has enough love to pass around."

Rory snorted. "She doesn't, she just likes to say it. Terrence says it's better to pass out love than keep it inside. So now she's passing it left and right."

"Hopefully only to Doyle."

"God, I hope so."

"Anything else?"

"Well, they got an apartment two floors up from mine, so they're moving out, leaving me with a free room." She said with a sly smile.

"None too subtle a hint, I'm not moving back. Go on."

Rory glared playfully at him and shrugged. "I have a date on Sunday."

"You do not!" Jess exclaimed with a laugh.

"I do too."

Jess became serious when he saw her blush. "Tell me, this boy, he treats you good?"

Rory smiled and looked up at him. "I love when you go all Italian on me."

"Rory."

"He's nice."

"You like him?" Jess stated.

"A lot. I haven't felt this way in a long time. I forgot I could feel like this."

"What's his name?"

"Finn."

"Odd name." Jess commented leaning back in his chair.

"He's Australian."

"Ahh." Jess motioned for the exit and Rory nodded standing up with her purse and flowers.

He placed a few bills on the table, stood up and wrapped his arm around her shoulder leading her out.

"So tell me about him." He said with a smirk as he led her towards the park. Rory smiled and began to tell Jess all about Finn.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

The guys headed straight for the park, stopping when Finn had convinced them to put their breeding aside and stop by a cart to get hot dogs. They sat down on the bleachers next to a baseball field watching a little league game in progress.

"It sucks that we never had this." Logan said.

"What? Cheap hot dogs? Cause if that's what you want, we can go to the supermarket when we get home and buy the cheap ball park franks and the cheap buns and make them ourselves. You don't get cheaper than that." Colin said taking a bite of his hot dog.

Logan glared. "No, I meant like little league practices."

"Oh."

"Our parents were so busy breeding us to be the perfect society children that we never really had a childhood, you know?"

Finn shrugged. "Did we really have a need for it?"

Logan glanced at Finn who was watching a young boy swing his bat and miss the ball. Parents yelled in encouragement instead of groaning at the miss.

"Maybe. I mean, wouldn't you have liked to be able to ride bikes to the park, or go to little league practices after school? Instead we were going from a boarding school to a boarding school, plastering fake smiles on our faces when our moms had those stupid teas at the house. We were also learning to waltz and sit up straight. We never had childhoods."

"So you think that's why we act out?" Colin asked. Finn and Logan looked at him.

"What do you mean, mate?" Finn asked.

"I mean, seeing as we never had normal childhoods, do you think that's why we act so stupid at times? Maybe that's why, all of us, not just us three, but all of us from the society, love the LDB so much? Because it's a time that we're able to act as immature as possible knowing that at the end of the weekend we have to be those perfect society people again."

They all turned back to the game in front of them, each thinking of childhood losses. Being in society had its advantages, the money, the status, the fact that you never had to wait in line if you had the right name.

But most of the times society had its disadvantages. Sure, it was small things. Like not being able to ride bikes around the street, or swinging a bat at a flying ball. Sometimes boys needed to run around and play and get roughed up a bit, but society wouldn't let them. It was the story of a lost childhood.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

"So he makes you laugh?"

"On occasion." Rory said as she bit into her hot dog. The best thing about meeting Jess in New York was that he knew the best place to get cart hot dogs. And he always paid.

"And you like him?"

"It's not so hard to wrap your mind around, Jess."

"I know, I guess I'm so used to you being with Dean…" Jess shrugged then he turned to her and looked down. She looked up at him and smiled.

"What?"

"Just do me a favor?"

"Anything."

"Well, in that case two favors."

Rory laughed and gave a nod. "What?"

"One, if you find yourself not feeling what you're feeling anymore for this guy, don't force yourself to be with him Rory."

"Jess..."

"I'm serious. I don't want to see you go through this again. I don't want you to follow anyone's standards. If you don't like him anymore, or if he does something, like cheat on you. Don't stay with him because you feel you have to. Because, Rory, no one, and I mean no one, rules your life but you. You make your own decisions and you decide who's good for you."

Rory smiled and kissed his cheek. "I know."

"Good."

"Now what was the second favor?"

"Let me de-virginize you." He laughed.

Rory blushed and smacked his arm with her purse. "Sick mind!"

"Come on, Rory, we're sharing a room anyway. All you have to do is lay down."

"Bastard." She laughed as they continued to walk.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

"Hey, isn't that…" Logan said pointing past the field to a couple walking. Finn looked over and nodded.

"That's Rory and Jess… Was that his name?"

"Yeah." Colin answered looking over. "I wonder what they're talking about."

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

"So, now that we've spent all day talking about me," Rory said as they stood by a baseball field and watched the little kids play, "What's new with you?"

Jess looked down at the ground and shifted his feet. "Well..."

"Oh god, you're getting married! You bastard, I didn't even meet her! I can't believe you!" Rory exclaimed hitting his arm with her purse once again.

"Rory, I'm not getting married, I'm still living single."

Rory's eyes widened. "Oh god! You got someone pregnant!"

"No!"

"Are you sure?"

"Rory."

"Right, right, so go on."

"Well, you remember that night a few years ago?"

Rory raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, we were here in New York. It was one of those times that Dean didn't want me to come."

"Right."

"What about that night? Do you remember something I don't, cause let me tell you, we were drunk. So if you took advantage of me, I'm getting Paris to kick your ass." Jess laughed and ran a hand through his hair nervously. "Oh my god!"

"No! Rory, it's nothing like that. But when I went back to Rome I remembered this one conversation we had."

"What conversation?"

Jess sighed "Remember how I had just finished talking to you about how I'm a failure and all that crap, how I was never going anywhere in life?"

Rory racked her brain, but remembered tidbits of the conversation. "Yeah, I remember," Rory said with a smile. "I told you you were crazy and that you could do anything you wanted, you just chose not to. You could open your own restaurant if you wanted to. You just had to set your mind to it."

"Yeah, well, I took the advice to heart."

"What advice?"

"Opening my own restaurant."

Rory looked at him wide-eyed, opening and closing her mouth for a few minutes, recovering from the shock. "No!"

"Yeah, I have the place a few blocks away from my place in Italy. We're doing some remodeling, expanding the restaurant and kitchen, making some bathrooms and getting all the health code requirements. But it should be opening next year."

"No!"

"Yeah."

"Jess." She said grabbing his face in her hands. "I am so proud of you." She whispered before kissing him on the mouth. She pulled back and smiled at him. "You know, I also told you to go to school, and study, and listen to Luke."

"Yeah, I know."

"I'm glad that stuck though, Jess. God, I can't believe it." She kissed him again and hugged him. "You do not know how proud I am."

"It means a lot coming from you, Ror, you have no idea." He whispered hugging her back.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

They watched as Rory talked to the guy, smacking his arm a few times before turning and talking to him. At one point of their conversation she grabbed his face and kissed him, said something and kissed him again, then hugged him. Finn watched on before turning and watching the game.

"Paris said he was just a good friend." Colin said, trying to get his friend back in high spirits.

"I know." Finn said as he heard the bat make a resounding crack as it made contact with the ball and sent it flying through the air. Parents cheered. His gaze turned back to the two people who were now talking. She said something to him making him laugh and offering his arm. She took it with a laugh of her own before they walked down the park. He sighed. He was just a friend.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

"Okay, that's it." Rory said pulling away from the embrace. "I say we celebrate."

"Finally! We're going to have sex!" Jess teased earning another smack on the arm.

"No! We are celebrating with new shoes."

"I don't need new shoes though."

"Yes, but I do, your treat." Rory laughed

"I'd rather have sex."

"Yeah, so would every other guy in the world."

He laughed and offered his arm. "Then shoe shopping we must go, then sex."

"Anything you want, Jess." She said seriously taking his arm and letting him lead her out of the park.

"Really?"

"No." She laughed.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_


	18. An Almost Encounter With The Third Kind

_**Part 18: An Almost Encounter With The Third Kind.**_

"Twenty pairs of shoes." Jess complained as they packed up Rory's things and put them in her trunk. After staying the night in The Tribeca Hotel, it was time for her to go home. She had to work a shift at Lily's and write at least half of a paper for her Government class as well as an article for the Yale Daily News.

"It's a gift." Rory said as she stealthily put Jess's bag in her trunk and closed it before he saw.

"And a curse."

"So when does your plane leave?"

"Tomorrow night."

"Really?" Rory asked with a smirk.

"Really." He responded. "Why?"

"Well, see, I have the keys to the trunk." She said showing him the keys.

"Yeah, it's your car."

"And the trunk is going with me." She said patting the trunk.

"Seeing as it's attached to _your_ car, yes."

"As is your bag."

"What?" He asked shocked looking at the trunk, then back at Rory.

"I packed it when you weren't looking."

"Rory." He warned.

"Jess." She mocked.

"I can't go to New Haven with you. My plane leaves tomorrow night, you have classes all day, and then dinner at your grandparents' house tonight."

"I know."

"I have no way of getting back to New York."

"Then it's a good thing I changed your airline ticket, isn't it?" She turned to get in the car before he could add another word. Jess stood glaring at the spot she had just been standing, before getting into the car and slamming the door. He wasn't angry at her. He could never be angry at Rory. She smiled at him before pulling out of the parking space and driving down the streets of Manhattan.

"Why do you want me to come to New Haven so badly, Rory?"

Rory shrugged. "I miss you, Jess, and seeing you two days every two years isn't enough. So I checked your schedule in Rome when you were showering and found out that you really aren't needed for the restaurant yet."

"True, I just need to sign some legal papers."

"Which is why we have Mark, everything can be faxed there."

"Right, but I also have to approve things, Rory, kitchen things, my oven for example!"

"They have to reconstruct the kitchen in order for you to have an oven. Jess, please, for me? Paris has moved out, she confirmed this morning."

"When am I going back Rory?"

"Promise you won't kill me?"

"I promise I won't kill you... yet."

"Two weeks."

"RORY!"

"Come on, Jess!"

"One week." Jess said crossing his arms over his chest.

"Two."

"One!" He repeated getting aggravated.

"One and half."

"Two!" Then he cursed himself.

"Ha!" Rory shouted with glee. "I never thought it would work!"

"Dammit, Rory."

"My god, Jess, if it pains you so much to stay with me, I can take you to the airport right now."

"No, I just don't like people messing with my schedule."

"Look who's Mr. Punctuality." Rory teased. She turned to him as she stopped in traffic and sighed. "It's your choice, Jess, you know I would never make you do something, but I do miss you when you're in Italy. And I know that Paris would love to see you, and mom, and Luke, and Lexi."

"I miss Lexi."

"And she misses you." Rory said touching his hand. "And I want you to meet Finn, and Logan, and Colin. But especially Finn, he's taken good care of me, Jess."

"I know."

"Plus, I miss your food."

Jess laughed and gave a nod. "Two weeks, Rory."

Rory squealed and hugged him. "I'll love you forever!"

"I know. Now go." He said pointing to the front of them. Rory smiled and drove on as traffic got less congested. "You know, in some countries this could be considered a kidnapping." He smirked as Rory sent him a glare.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

"She's coming back today, isn't she?" Colin asked flipping through the channels and looking over at Finn who had his arms crossed over his chest and was slumped on the couch. He hadn't been in a good mood since they had seen Rory kiss the guy.

"I don't know," Finn answered. Logan smirked.

"Well, it is Friday and she has Friday night dinner, right?"

"I don't know," Finn repeated.

"Maybe we should ask Paris?" Colin said. "She should know."

"Huh, well, we could call the lobby and ask for Paris's number. Or you know, we could always call Rory herself." Logan said.

"She's coming back today, my god." Finn said exasperated with their run around. They'd been like that since they had gotten back from New York. 'She's coming back tomorrow, she's coming back today.' God, it had gotten tiring. "And yes, she has dinner tonight,"

"You know, maybe we should welcome her back, just say a quick, 'hey, how are you, did you have fun?' sort of a thing." Colin suggested.

"You know, Colin, that's a good idea. You know, I saw her car pull up about an hour ago, why don't we go now?" Logan asked as if he and Colin had rehearsed the conversation beforehand

They both looked at Finn, who growled but stood up. "Come on then."

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

"It's all yours." Jess said as he stepped out of the bathroom without a shirt and in sweats, drying his hair with a towel.

"Finally, you take longer than my mother." Rory muttered as she pushed past him to the bathroom. Jess smirked. As much as an insult that was, he decided it wasn't worth a response, especially since there was a surprise awaiting Rory.

He walked into the living room and turned on the TV. True to her word, Paris had moved out leaving but a note and an unopened box of condoms, apparently for Rory. In which Rory cursed Paris and well... he didn't know what she did with the box.

He was about to sit down on the couch when he heard someone knock on the door and the water in the bathroom start running. He couldn't help the smirk as he walked to the front door. He opened it and found three guys standing there.

"Hi," he greeted.

"Hey," a blonde said. "Who are you?"

"I'm Jess, Rory's..." At that point they heard Rory scream and him smirk. "Why don't you guys come in?" He suggested opening the door wider. They walked into the living room just as Rory stalked out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around her.

"You bastard." She hissed glaring at him.

"What did I do?" He asked innocently, the three guys forgotten as he took in Rory's near nude form.

"What did you do! What did you do! You used all the hot water." She slapped his arm.

"That's what you get for changing my flight!"

She slapped his arm again, he winced and glared at her. "I cannot believe you!" She yelled going into her room.

"I bet you're regretting changing my flight now!" He yelled back. She came out of her room, her towel still around her and carrying her clothes.

"Yes, I am! Bastard! Now I have to go beg Paris to let me use her shower! Thank you oh so much!"

He smirked and grabbed her hand before she left. "You can not go out in the hall like that." He laughed.

"Watch me!"

"Rory."

"Jess."

"The water will warm up in half an hour, I swear."

"Jess, I have to get to dinner in an hour! God dammit!"

"You are so hot when you're mad." He said as he scanned her body with a smirk. She glared at him, her face void of any playfulness.

"Tell that to my grandmother when she wonders why I'm late for dinner!" She looked over his shoulder and her eyes widened when she saw Finn, Logan and Colin. "Bastard." She said again slapping his arm.

"What the hell was that for!" He asked letting go of her hand to rub his aching arm. She pointed behind him. He looked over and nodded.

"Oh yeah, they were at the door."

She glared at him. "I am so reconsidering rescheduling your flight."

"Really?"

"No," she said still glaring at him, then turned to the guys. He watched her eyes soften a bit. "Hey guys."

"Hey Rory, I see we caught you at a bad time." Colin said. Rory tightened the grip on her towel.

"Yeah, well, Jess used all the hot water again."

"The hotel incident was an accident, Rory, and you know it!"

"That's not what you said when you walked out of the bathroom laughing!" she yelled. "God, I hate you!" She turned without another word and walked into her room. Jess laughed.

"Rory, come on!" He continued laughing, then turned back to the guys. "She changed my flight. I'm Jess by the way, Rory's friend."

"I'm Logan, this is Colin, and Finn."

"She's told me a lot about you guys, Thank you for taking care of her. I really appreciate it."

"It's no problem, we're really fond of her." Colin responded.

"All guys seem to be."

"All right, Mariano." Rory said coming out of her room, now dressed in sweats and a long t-shirt. "You better hope to god that Paris and Doyle aren't christening their new home." She slipped on her sandals that she had left in the hall, glared at him, smiled at the three guys, then left slamming the door.

"Rory should really get tested for bipolarism. So I hear you and Rory are going on a test run." Jess stated with a smirk towards Finn. Finn gave a nod.

"Sunday."

"She's excited. Have a seat, she'll be back, trust me. If Doyle and Paris just moved in there, they're not answering the door anytime soon."

"How do you know Rory?" Colin asked. Jess looked over at him.

"My uncle is her stepfather. Making us stepcousins. I moved to Stars Hollow my sophomore year of high school, but got sent back to New York after some stuff happened."

"Like what?" Logan asked.

Jess shrugged. "Just some stuff." They heard the door open and Rory storm back in. She glared at Jess.

"You are dead, Mariano, dead."

"You have no idea how hot I get when you talk to me like that."

She grabbed a pillow from the couch and hit him. "You are calling a pregnant Lorelai and explaining why I'm late."

Jess's eyes widened. "You're not serious."

"I'm dead serious! Now go, get on the phone. Explain to her how your act of revenge couldn't wait twenty four hours!"

"Oh come on, Rory."

"Go or I'm sending you to sleep at Paris and Doyle's place. Trust me, you're on my bad side right now, Jess."

They glared at each other before Jess got up and stalked to the guest room slamming the door, making Rory smile.

"I love it when I win." She sat on the couch and looked at the boys. "So to what do I owe the pleasure of seeing you three handsome boys." Rory asked with a smirk.

"We just wanted to welcome you back." Colin said before either Logan or Finn could respond to her comment

"Really?" Rory asked raising an eyebrow.

"Really." Logan said with a nod.

"Well, thanks."

"Did you have fun, love?" Finn asked.

"Twenty pairs of shoes, she better have had fun." Jess muttered as he walked through the living room to the kitchen, phone attached to his ear. Rory smiled.

"Jess is forgetting that I also bought clothes."

"Well, we're glad you had fun." Finn said causing Rory to smile. They watched Jess come back to the living room frowning, walk back into the guest room, water in hand, and close the door.

"I love seeing Jess. Two years is a really long time, I miss him." Rory said ignoring Jess behavior.

"Where does he live?" Logan asked.

"Rome." Rory answered, just as they heard Jess give out a stream of curses. Rory frowned and walked to his room.

"Jess, remember my mom is pregnant, don't get too mad." She looked at the clock. She still had an hour to get ready and get to Hartford on time. She knocked on his door, "Jess?"

"Hey Rory, we're going to get going." Logan said. Rory looked over at them and nodded.

"Thanks for coming guys, I swear, it's usually not this active when me and Jess are together. You just caught us at an awkward time."

"It's fine, love, we'll come back later." Finn said with a smile

Rory nodded. "See you guys later." She watched them walk down the hall and out the door. She turned back to the door. "Jess?" He opened the door, and came out fully dressed. Walking towards the door he threw the phone on the couch and walked towards the front door the guys had just gone through.

"Jess, where are you going?"

"Nowhere."

"Yeah, and I'm the Easter bunny, where are you going?"

"Nowhere." He answered again grabbing his jacket form the hall closet.

"You don't have a car and you can't take mine."

"I'm taking a walk around the block." He answered. Rory frowned.

"Bull, where are you going?"

"I talked to Lorelai."

"Obviously."

"Dean's been talking about you."

"Oh." She said looking down at the ground.

"Oh? Oh? Rory, he's talking about you, it's bringing your mom to tears. My god, Rory."

"Just let it go, Jess."

"You're crazy if you think I'm going to sit on my ass while some bastard talks badly about one of my best friends."

"Just let it go, Jess, I don't need you to fight my goddamn battles."

"Apparently you do if Dean can't shut his mouth!" He opened the front door and Rory went after him.

"Fine, do whatever the hell you want, Jess, whatever makes you feel better. But remember I asked you to let it go."

"Rory."

"Let it go, Jess. God! I'm twenty two, I'm divorced and I'm tired of everyone taking care of this situation. Just let it go. Let Dean say whatever the fuck he wants."

"I'm not going to let him do that."

"Remember that fighting is what took you away from me in the first place." She whispered slamming the door. Jess sighed and tried the door.

"Rory." He sighed and sat on the floor, his back leaning on the door. "Dammit Rory."

"Everything all right?"

Jess looked up and saw the three guys still standing there. He winced. "What did you hear?"

"Enough," Finn said. Jess nodded.

"We were about to get on the elevator when we heard you guys." Colin explained.

"So what did her ex say?" Logan asked.

"Enough." Jess repeated.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

Rory grabbed the phone from the couch where Jess had thrown it and dialed. She waited a few seconds till someone picked up on the third ring.

"Hello?"

"Mom."

"Rory, hi."

"What did you tell Jess?"

"Rory." Lorelai sighed in frustration.

"You know you can't tell Jess anything, especially if it involves Dean, you know he'll go all macho and go and start throwing punches."

"I know."

"So why did you tell him?

"Everyone here knows what Dean did to you. With Lindsay. They've shunned him."

Rory sighed and sat down on the edge of the couch, her elbows resting on her knees. "Of course they have."

"We had a town meeting about it."

"You've got to be kidding me."

"Believe me, shunning him was lenient. Taylor suggested a lynching, Kirk ordered for tar and feathering, and Luke wanted him to be quartered."

"Quartered like..."

'Tied up by each arm and leg and pulled in four different directions."

"I would have agreed to that one." Rory said, then closed her eyes. "Go on."

"I tried to talk them out of it... but you know Stars Hollow, once they set their mind on something."

"There's no talking them out of it."

"The spikes on the tip of every building prove it."

"Taylor's never gotten pooped on since then, but then, birds don't even go within a ten mile radius of Stars Hollow."

"Good point."

"So what happened?"

"They have decided that he wasn't allowed anywhere. Taylor even tried to convince Tom to let him go."

"You're kidding?"

"Nope. "

"You talked him out of it, right?"

"Of course! After everything was said and agreed on, I stood up and made a speech, how this was wrong and that no matter how much he hurt you, you would never want Tom to fire him or getting shunned form public places. He didn't deserve it."

"Go mom!"

"But I also said that you would have at least let him go to Doose's and dock his pay."

"Mom." Rory groaned, her forehead now resting on her head.

"I haven't told you the worst part."

"What?"

"He was standing outside the whole time and when I went to go make my speech, he came in and heard everything."

"Oh god."

"And he went on a rampage, calling you lots of names which got me mad, then he said a few choice words to me."

"What?" Rory asked straightening up.

"It's nothing, babe."

"No, mom, it's one thing to be calling me things, but if he starts in on you..."

"I'm fine, sweets, let it go."

"Now you sound like me. What did he say?"

"He called me a few names, Rory, it's not like I've never heard them before."

"Mom, what did he call you?"

"Rory."

"Mom."

"He called me a slut, Rory."

"Mom."

"Don't worry about it, babe, Luke gave him a nice talking to."

"I'm so sorry, mom," Rory said before letting out a gasp, standing up and running towards the door.

"Rory?" Lorelai asked concern lacing her voice.

"No wonder Jess was so hell bent on getting to Stars Hollow. He's going to kill Dean." She wrenched the door open and was about to go out when someone toppled into the hall. She looked down and gave a sigh of relief.

"Give me some warning next time you do that." Jess grumbled getting up.

"Thank god." Rory said hugging him.

"Rory?" Lorelai asked. Rory pulled back and looked at Jess.

"You stay there." She ordered. Jess sighed and nodded before leaning against the wall. She walked back to the living room.

"I'm so sorry, mom, I'll talk to Dean. I can't... I hate this."

"I know you do, babe. I'm fine. I've been called that before."

"It doesn't matter, mom, no one has a right to call you that or anything else."

"I love you, babe."

"Love you too, mom."

"See you in an hour."

"I'll be a bit late. I'll explain later."

"All right. Bye."

"Bye." Rory said hanging up and walking back to the hall where not only Jess was standing, but Finn, Colin and Logan were standing as well. She went over to Jess and hugged him.

"You are the sweetest, most caring guy in the world, Jess, but if you ever scare me like that again, I swear to god I'm never talking to you again."

"I hate him."

"I know you do, right now I hate him too," she pulled back. "But if you ever, ever throw a punch at him, Jess..."

"I wasn't going to punch him, I was just going to talk to him."

"Yeah, that's what you said three years ago. And two years before that. Both times he came back with a black eye."

"He deserved them."

"I have no doubt about that. But you can't go doing that."

"He shouldn't have talked to Lorelai like that."

"I agree, but let me deal with it, Jess. My own way. Now not only do I have to worry about my homicidal best friend, but I have to deal with the whole town shunning him."

"Really?" He smirked

"It's not funny, Jess." She turned back to the guys. "Hey again."

"Hey." They all said while Finn waved.

"I'm sorry about this and thanks for keeping Jess here."

"He stayed on his own, love. We just kept him company." Finn said with a small smile.

"Well, thank you. If you would do me the favor of keeping him company for a few more hours. Right now I have to get in the shower and get to my grandma's house and I don't trust Jess to stay here and resist the urge of hopping on a bus and beating the crap out of my ex-husband."

"I'm free." Finn said with a shrug. Logan nodded.

"My date cancelled, her mom is sick." They turned to Colin.

"Apparently I have no life, so I guess I'm staying."

"Great, get out of the hallway. I have to take a shower." Rory said walking down the hall and going into the bathroom.

"I would have stayed." Jess grumbled.

"Don't worry about it mate, we can take my car to Stars Hollow." Finn said with a smirk as they went into the living room, causing Jess to laugh.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

_**AN:**_


	19. We'll Be There For You

_**Part 19: We'll Be There For You.**_

"Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit." They heard Rory cursing in her room. She had been like that for the past twenty minutes when she had caught sight of the clock. They heard a bang, then Rory curse as she hobbled out of her room.

"I hate that dresser." She muttered limping into the living room, putting on an earring. She walked into the dining room and looked under the table.

"What are you looking for, Rory?" Jess asked, watching her in amusement as she walked back into the living room and motioned for them to move their legs so she could look under the couch.

"My blue heels." She said getting up from the floor and going into her room.

"Have you checked the oven?" Jess asked sarcastically.

They watched as she stopped midway to her room, bite her lip in concentration, then turn and run into the kitchen.

Jess groaned. "I was kidding!"

"HA!" She yelled in triumph as she hopped back out putting on her blue heels. "Oven, it's the best place for shoes. I forgot I also have my black ones in there. Remind me of that later." She told Jess as she went back into her room.

"Thank god I live far, far away." Jess muttered, causing the guys to laugh. A few minutes later, she came back out and put her purse on the chair, along with her coat. She held up two necklaces in front of the four men.

"Which one?" She asked, one being a plastic Hello Kitty necklace, and the other a small heart pendant.

"Neither." Jess replied. "The Hello Kitty would piss off your grandma and the other is too simple."

Rory raised an eyebrow. "You sure you're not gay?"

"Shut up, Rory, you of all people should know I'm not."

Rory blushed, but glared at him. "I hate you." She said going back to her room and producing a strand of pearls. "Whenever in doubt, go with pearls." She muttered. She put on her coat, buttoned it up and grabbed her purse.

"I'll be back by ten; I might have Lexi with me. So there's a chance you're sleeping on the couch." She said pointing to Jess.

"I could have had the suite at the Tribeca all to myself, king size bed and fluffy pillows. Instead I'm here, in New Haven, with my best friend, and getting kicked out of a guest room by a three-year-old and sleeping on the couch. How depressing."

"Love you too, Jess." She turned to the guys. "Stay as long as you want. Jess is over twenty one, so he can do beer runs." She teased.

"Hey, say hi to Luke for me, tell him I'll be by sometime this week." Jess said.

Rory nodded. "No worries."

"Have fun, love." Finn said as she walked down the hall.

"Very funny, Finn." They heard the door close and Jess sighed.

"She is going to be very upset when she comes home."

"How do you know?" Logan asked,

"It's Emily Gilmore. This is Rory's first Friday night dinner since the divorce was finalized."

"Doesn't mean anything." Colin said looking over at Jess.

"Apparently you don't know the whole story behind Rory and Dean." Jess replied looking over at Colin.

"What do you mean?" Finn asked.

"What have you heard?" Jess smirked.

"She loved him, stayed with him for seven years. He cheated for a couple and they just got divorced." Logan said, Finn sending him a glare for telling things that Rory had told them in private. "It's not like he doesn't know already, Finn. He's her best friend."

"It's true, I know all that and more. You see, I was there for some of the Dean and Rory courtship."

"Interesting." Colin said. Jess smirked.

"I was the one that beat the crap out of him when I found out he cheated on her the first time, got me sent back to New York. Plus the fact that I had a thing for Rory made me want to get Dean out of the picture."

"You liked Rory?" Colin asked.

"Who doesn't like Rory? I mean look at her, blue eyes, long brown hair, those legs. I mean, anyone with eyes falls for the Gilmore charm."

Logan and Colin turned to Finn and nudged his ribs, earning them a scowl.

"Go on," Logan said. Jess shrugged.

"Rory knew I liked her, so when I got sent back to my mom's, she ditched school and visited me. And we talked and I may have kissed her."

"She was with Dean though." Colin stated.

Jess shrugged again. "What did it matter, he cheated on her. But she pushed me away and told me that she didn't want to do that to Dean. That she loved him. Then a few hours later she left. After that we didn't really talk for about a year. But that kiss... Well... once you kiss a Gilmore, it's hard to get rid of that feeling. But I knew that Rory would never like me like that, so I called her and asked her to come down to New York for a day. She agreed. She was starting Yale, had just gotten back from Europe and she was engaged."

"Dean must have loved that." Finn muttered.

"With every fiber of his body." He replied sarcastically then contiuned, "but Rory negotiated and she came down, and we got to talking and well... we became friends and over the years the best of friends."

"You live in Italy, right?" Logan asked

"Rome, yeah. I moved down there a few years ago to study Culinary. I was an apprentice."

"Rory must have been sad to see you leave." Colin stated. Jess shook his head.

"No, I mean, well, yeah, she was sad that she wouldn't have the choice to go to New York to see me anymore, but she was proud. She always knew I could make something of myself. Believe me, when Rory tells you she's proud of you, it's one of the best things in the world. When Rory tells you she loves you, it's one of the most amazing things. She doesn't say it to just anyone. And that right there is one of the reasons the Rory and Dean relationship failed."

"What do you mean one of the reasons? He cheated on her. That should be reason enough." Finn stated.

"You know as well as I do that Rory knew Dean cheated on her way more than that one time. Everyone knew it. And Rory turned a blind eye, But that is a story for another time. You guys asked why Rory would be upset after dinner and I will tell you why."

"All right, why?" Logan asked.

"Emily and Richard hated Dean."

"Really?" Colin asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Pure hatred for the guy and let him know it."

"He wasn't from society." Logan stated looking at Fin and Colin.

"That was part of it... and the guy was stupid." Jess laughed. "Try having a conversation with him one day. I seriously don't know what Rory saw in him. The Gilmores are well bred people. They could spend the whole evening talking on books and politics. Rory's the best debater of them all. Put Dean in the mix and the guy's lost. He didn't stand a chance in the Gilmore world. The only reason they tolerate me is because I'm Luke's nephew and I make Rory smile. It's more than the loser did."

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

Rory sat in her car and looked up at her grandparents' house. This was the first Friday since her divorce. She had gotten out of last week's with the excuse of work and school work; they had reluctantly let her off, but not without a fight.

She didn't know why she just didn't stay in New York with Jess an extra day and blame the traffic.

"God, stupid, stupid." She muttered hitting her forehead against the steering wheel.

"Hey babe, just a suggestion, but you might want to try hitting your head on the dashboard, more efficient."

Rory turned to her mother with a glare. "Very funny."

"What, may I ask, is the reason you are leaving a red mark on your forehead?"

Rory looked into her rear view mirror and checked her forehead. "I don't have red marks."

"It's a figure of speech."

"No, it's not."

"Yes, it is."

"No, mom, it's not."

"I use it every day."

Rory shook her head; there was no arguing with her mother. She got out of the car and closed the door. "I was just thinking about why I didn't call from New York and say traffic was bad and couldn't make it tonight."

"They would have known."

"Damn the Gilmore physic powers." Rory laughed with a roll of her eyes. She looked over and saw Luke and Lexi standing near the door.

"Hi dad, hey Lexi."

"Hey Ror." He said kissing the top of her head. "How you holding up?"

"I'm fine. Jess says hi, he'll be around Stars Hollow next week." She said as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and led her up to the door, Lorelai next to Rory and Lexi in his arms.

"I thought he was going back tomorrow." Luke said confused and he pushed the doorbell.

"I switched his airline tickets. He's staying with me for two weeks."

"You are good." Lorelai said with a laugh.

"I packed his bag and put it in my trunk, he really had no choice."

"You kidnapped him, babe."

Rory contemplated it in her head, then gave a short nod. "Yeah, pretty much." She laughed.

The door swung open to reveal a new maid. Lorelai looked at Rory and wiggled her eyebrows.

"And the night from hell begins." She said giving an evil laugh as she walked in, causing Rory to roll her eyes as she walked in after her, Luke and Lexi behind her.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

"You got shanghaied in there." Lorelai said as Rory buckled Lexi into her car seat.

"Don't worry about it, mom, I knew it was coming."

"I was just caught so off guard, I didn't even see those blows. And..."

"So subtle. You really can't defend yourself if they're not saying anything bad about you." Rory muttered closing the door. "Really, mom, don't worry about it."

"You sure?"

"I'll go home, put on my pajamas, get Jess to watch _A Walk to Remember_, make him cry a bit and I'll be as good as new."

"Promise?"

"Watching Jess cry always makes me feel better."

"You've never seen Jess cry." Lorelai pointed out with a frown.

"It always makes me feel better to try." Rory said with a slight smile.

"All right." Lorelai hugged her daughter and looked at her left hand with a sad smile. "Looks kind of bare now, huh?"

"It takes some getting used to."

"I never want to get used to that."

"Luke loves you too much, you'll never have to."

"Good."

"Mom."

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry about Dean."

"Don't worry about it, sweetie. Go home, make Jess cry."

"Kay, bye Luke."

"Bye Rory!" Luke said as he brought the truck around.

"Have fun tomorrow guys." She watched her mom get in the truck and drive off. Rory sighed and leaned against her car rubbing her temples. Sucky, sucky night, she thought as she got in. She'd take it out on Jess.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

"Oh come on!" Jess groaned.

"You cheated," Colin stated taking his winnings from the middle of the table.

"Prove it." Jess challenged leaning against the sofa, his arms crossed over his chest.

"You pulled the ace from your sleeve, we all saw it." Logan stated. Jess shrugged.

"Prove it."

"Jess! Jess!" Before Jess could even turn around, he was attacked by a mass of brown curly hair.

"Hey Lexi!" he said hugging her back. He looked over her shoulder and saw Rory walking into the kitchen, Finn following close behind. He'd let them talk before he interrupted.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

He watched as her eyes scanned the freezer before slamming it shut and laying her head on the cool surface.

"Hello love," He watched her jump and rest a hand on her heart before turning to look at him with a glare.

"You scared me."

"Sorry, just wanted to make sure you were all right."

"Oh… um… yeah... everything is…." Rory sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "Finn?"

"Yes?"

"Can you do me a favor?"

Finn smiled slightly already knowing what she was going to ask. "You want us to leave." He stated.

Rory nodded. "It's just you guys have seen me stand strong during all of this, and frankly, I'm tired of being strong."

"I do not understand, love."

"I don't want you to see me at my weakest, and right now, all I really feel like doing is crying and I don't want you, or Colin, or Logan to see me cry… especially you, right now."

Finn nodded. He noticed the way her voice was calm and her eyes downcast, not meeting him in the eye, Her hand rested on her stomach and her breathing hitched every time she tried to keep the tears in.

"All right, just know that we are four floors up if you need anything."

"Thanks, Finn." She whispered.

"Welcome, love." He tilted her chin up with a finger and smiled before placing a small kiss at the corner of her mouth. He rubbed her arm and backed out of the kitchen and back into the living room.

"All right, men." He announced grabbing his jacket. "It looks like we've overstayed our welcome."

Logan and Colin took the hint and gathered their things.

"I'm coming back to collect." Colin told Jess as he and Logan walked out leaving Finn and Jess alone with Lexi sitting on the couch.

"She's in the kitchen." Finn told him, his head jerking in the direction of the kitchen.

Jess sighed and ran a hand through his hair looking in the direction of the kitchen where his broken best friend was probably crying. "Thanks."

"It's nothing."

"Do you like her?" Jess asked, looking away from the kitchen and over at Finn.

"Why?"

"Cause she's my best friend, and this is the time for the you-hurt-her-I-hurt-you thing."

"Right, Well… Yeah, I do."

"I can tell. She likes you too."

"I'm a likeable person." Finn said smugly and with a smirk.

"Just…" Jess sighed again. "Just don't be a bastard."

"I'll try not to be." Finn smirked. "Tell her I'll talk to her later."

"No problem."

"Bye Lexi." Finn said waving at the three-year-old. She smiled.

"Bye Finn!" She said waving vigorously back. Finn turned and walked back out of the apartment.

Jess turned to Lexi and gave her a small smile. "Hey Lex."

"Hey Jess." She mimicked. He rolled his eyes.

"Wanna watch a movie?"

"Yeah!"

"All right," He looked at Rory's collection and took out _Finding Nemo_ and put it in the player. He watched her lay on the couch on her stomach, her feet in the air and her chin in her hands.

"I'm going to be in the kitchen with Rory all right? We'll be right out."

"Okie dokie!" She said brightly, putting her forefinger and thumb together in the symbol for okay.

"Okie dokie." He muttered going into the kitchen.

He found her sitting against the cabinets, her knees to her chest and her face buried in between, her body shaking with sobs. He walked over and sat down, wrapping an arm around her petite figure.

"Hey, hey, it's going to be okay." He whispered, bringing her to him and running a hand through her hair softly.

"I failed, Jess, I failed miserably." She cried.

"No, you didn't."

"I've never failed at anything. Never. I got a D _once_ at Chilton. I was in funk the whole time… then I got hit by a deer! This is worse than getting hit by a deer!"

He frowned. "Don't you mean _you_ hit a deer?"

"NO! The deer hit me!" She corrected angrily.

"All right, all right. Sorry." He sighed and let her lean against his shoulder, a sob escaping her lips every few seconds. "Why do you say you failed, Rory?"

"My grandmother hinted at it." She said quietly.

"What happened at dinner?"

"Nothing, we sat down for drinks and talked, you know, about our weeks. I talked about New York. And everything was going fine. But then, when dinner was served, we all sat down at the table and started eating."

"Naturally, dinner is served, you usually eat." He stated sarcastically, earning a glare. "Sorry, go on."

"Well, somehow, my grandma found out about my date with Finn."

"How?"

"I asked that question. Apparently a friend of a friend whose son is friends with Finn. Meaning it's either Colin or Logan."

"But the date is just that, a date, no big deal."

"That's what I said. I told her that it was just one date and that we had gotten to know each other a few months ago. And she did the math and asked if it was before the divorce and I said yes, I had met him a few days before Dean asked for one."

"And…"

"And I could have sworn I heard her mutter, 'How convenient.'"

"Ah, Ror." Jess said with a shake of his head.

"In which my mother said that it was Dean who had cheated and not me. And then they got in a fight that Luke and grandpa had to separate when they began to stand up and get really close to each other. I swear, if Luke and grandpa hadn't separated them, someone would have thrown a punch."

"My money's on Lorelai."

"So was mine." Rory laughed.

"That wasn't all that happened though, was it?"

"No. They said some other stuff. It was mostly grandma. She very subtly hinted that it was my fault about the divorce. It's not my fault that he couldn't keep it in his pants, was it, Jess?"

"No, it's not," he said firmly.

"Because the way people keep looking at me and telling me things, sometimes it feels like it is."

"Rory, Dean is a bastard, Everyone knows that he was the one who screwed you, no pun intended."

"Hardy har."

"He messed up, Rory, it was him and him alone. He shouldn't have been fucking other girls when he was with you. Hell, he shouldn't have been fucking other girls, period. It was wrong and he took advantage of your trust."

"I know." Rory whispered.

"None of this is your fault."

"I know, but sometimes I think, maybe if I had slept with him, he wouldn't have done it. We would still be together."

"Do you still want to be together with him, Rory?" Jess asked in surprise. He heard Rory sigh.

"I don't. No... No... I... No." She said. "No, I don't want to be together with him. But the thought still comes in. You know what I did on my wedding night, Jess?"

"No. And I don't think I want to know."

"After the reception, I went back to Yale, got in my pajamas and studied."

Jess rose an eyebrow. " I knew you liked school... but… really?"

"Yeah, Dean had gotten a room at the Dragonfly even though we had an apartment. And I just... I wasn't ready. I'm still not. Sex just isn't a big thing in my book."

"Huge in mine." Jess leered.

"Yeah, yours." She laughed.

"I get it, Rory." Jess said seriously. "I do."

"Dean wasn't the one, Jess. I guess, in a way, I didn't want him to be."

"Explain."

"I... I didn't want to be this perfect angel that married her first boyfriend and popped out a few kids. I didn't want to be that model wife. It's what my mom's shielded me from my whole life. I wanted to be my own person. I have dreams, I have goals, I have my own life plan. And in the long run, if I stayed with Dean... I wouldn't do everything I wanted to do. I would be writing for the _Stars Hollow Gazette_, cleaning the house and taking care of kids while Dean worked construction. That isn't a life I want."

"What do you want, Rory?" He watched a smile form on her lips and look up at him with laughing eyes.

"You, Jess, I want you." She teased.

"Thank god." He said getting up and picking her up, one arm under her legs and the other on the small of her back, causing her to laugh and throw her head back. Wrapping her arms around his neck she kissed his cheek.

"Thanks, Jess."

"For what?" He asked as he carried her through the dining room.

"For being one of my best friends. For... being you."

"Damn, so I guess we're not sleeping together, huh?" He asked with mock disappointment as he set her down in the living room.

She sighed, "I'm too tired, maybe tomorrow."

He laughed. "I'll keep my fingers crossed."

"Good."

"Okay, so here's what we are going to do. You are going to go into your room, disrobe and..."

"Finish that sentence and die, Mariano."

"Right," Jess smirked. "Go take a bath, a long one. I'll go with Lexi to the corner store and get you some ice cream and order a pizza." They heard the doorbell ring and Jess walked backwards to the door. "You'll watch _A Walk to Remember _and attempt to make me cry. Deal?"

"Deal!" Rory said as he opened the door. He frowned when he noticed no one there. He looked both ways down the hall. No one. He was about to close the door when something brown caught his eye. He looked down and saw two paper bags on the floor and a box of pizza next to them.

"Hey Ror?" He yelled. He heard her walk over to him.

"Yeah?"

"This was at your door." He looked in one of the bags and found a note attached to a box that was wrapped up, Rory's name scrawled onto the envelope. He handed it to her.

"What is it?" She asked. He gave her an Are-You-Kidding look and she smiled. "Right, open it." She opened the envelope and took out a single piece of paper. She smiled after reading it.

"What does it say.?" Jess asked trying to peek over her shoulder.

"It says,_ 'Just know, I'll be there for you... Sorry, We'll be there for you,'_" she read. Then opened the wrapped box and her smile grew bigger showing him the first season of _Friends_ on DVD. "Give you three guesses on who sent this."

"Finn?" Jess asked.

"No, Dean." Rory said sarcastically rolling her eyes. "Yes, Finn, and Logan and Colin."

"Well, they also sent a pizza and two bags of junk food."

"Sweet." Rory whispered looking at the tons of junk food in the bags.

"Okay, so new plan. You go take a bath, I'll set this all up and we'll watch _Friends_."

Rory smiled and hugged him. "Sounds perfect."

"Great, now go!" He watched her walk down the hall setting the DVDs on the table and go into her bedroom. Jess sighed and turned back to the things on the floor before getting everything in his arms and kicking the door shut. Oh, Finn had it _bad_!

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

**_AN: _**13 pages, This was suppose to be the date...but I felt that the date itself should be a whole other chapter. So that one is next. Hope you liked… wanna tell me how much! Well, leave a review!

Kassandra


	20. The Test Run

_**Part 20: The Test Run**_

Rory got up from the couch with a groan and blinked, her eyes taking in the open bags of chips and candy on the table along with an empty pizza box with half eaten pizza crusts in random places on the table, barely making it into the box.

"Shhh, Lexi." She looked up slightly to see Jess and Lexi trying to sneak into the kitchen, Lexi on her tiptoes and crouched down as to make little noise, a giggle escaping her lips. She looked at Jess who was smiling; he had a soft spot for his little cousin.

She closed her eyes when she saw Lexi look her way, then giggle the rest of the way into the kitchen. She opened them again to see Jess staring at her.

"Morning." She whispered.

"Morning." He greeted, clearing the table to sit down. "You okay?"

"A bit better."

"How does breakfast sound?"

"Coffee first, then breakfast." She mumbled getting up and stretching, her Happy Bunny pajama shirt riding up. "Um... while you go do that..."

"Go, it'll be ready by the time you get back."

Rory bit her lip and nodded. "Thanks, Jess."

"Go." He said as he walked into the kitchen. Rory smiled as she went into her room, put on her slippers and robe, tamed her hair a bit, then walked out of the apartment. She got in the elevator, pressed fourteen and got out once it hit their floor. She just hoped they weren't asleep.

She walked to their door, hesitating for a minute before knocking. The door swung open almost instantly to reveal Logan in boxers and a white undershirt.

"Hey Gilmore, what are you doing here?"

"I didn't wake you guys up, did I?"

"No, Colin and I are usually awake by now. You okay?" He asked concerned as he let her in. She tightened the robe around her body.

"I'm fine, thanks."

"Hey Rory, coffee?" Colin asked.

"No, thank you, Colin, Jess is making some downstairs. I was actually wondering if I could talk to Finn."

"He's in his room," Colin said.

"Can I..."

"Yeah, go on in." Logan told her. "You know where?"

"Yeah, thanks." Rory smiled at the two boys before walking down the hall and knocking slightly on Finn's door.

"Leave." She heard Finn groan. She smiled and took it as an invitation to enter. She saw him lying in his bed, in his SpongeBob boxers. She smiled and closed the door before jumping on the bed. "Off." He said not even looking at her, but trying to push her off. "I mean it, Logan."

"Why Logan would be jumping on your bed this time of morning I do not want to know."

He turned his head and smiled at her. "Hey."

"Hey." She said smiling.

"What are you doing here?" He asked confused and taking in her appearance in Happy Bunny pajamas, a robe and Cartmen slippers.

"I wanted to thank you." She said laying down next to him. "We spent the whole night eating junk food and watching _Friends_. That was very sweet of you guys. Thanks."

"You're welcome. Are you okay now?"

"Getting there."

"Want to talk about it?"

"Some harsh words were shared at dinner, nothing more."

"Must have been one sharing fest if it got you that down."

"Hey, do you know if Logan or Colin told their parents about our date?"

"I don't know, why?"

"Because my grandmother knew, and… well... it caught me off guard is all."

"I don't know, love, Logan and Colin aren't really close to their mums or dads. Is it bad if they know?"

"No, like I said, some things were said and the date was involved."

"What did they say?" Finn asked sitting up on his elbows and looking down at her. He found that he liked the image of her lying on his bed, his pillows, in her pajamas. He wondered what it would be like to wake up next to her? Wake up with her snuggled up against him, his arms wrapped around her. He pushed the image out of his head and focused on the conversation at hand.

"They didn't say anything important, Finn. It's over and done, and it doesn't matter now." She got up from the bed. "I just wanted to come over and thank you for leaving me those things yesterday, it was very sweet. So thank you."

"It was no problem."

"I have to go. Even though Jess loves Lexi, he can only handle so much of her before he gets annoyed."

"Yeah."

"I'll see you tomorrow." Rory said leaning down and kissing his cheek with a smile. "Thanks again."

"Welcome." He watched her leave and close his door. He got out of bed, put on an undershirt and heard the faint click of the front door. He got off his bed and went into the living room where his friends were sitting drinking coffee.

"Did any of you tell your parents about Rory and my date?" He asked. They both looked up at him.

Colin shrugged. "Not that I remember. I haven't talked to them in a while though. Logan?"

Logan looked down. "I might have mentioned something to my mother." Logan muttered. Finn plopped down on the recliner.

"Why?"

"I didn't know it was a secret." Logan said. "Plus you've been to dinner with my parents. You know I can't stand all of those awkward silences. My grandfather does that clinky thing with his glass, my mom smokes, dad yells, Honor and Josh just sit there. It gets tense. They asked about you guys and I said that you had a date."

"Anything else?" Finn asked, knowing that those monthly dinners with Logan's family were tense.

"My mom did the whole 'Oh really? Who?' and that's when I told them that it was Rory. I didn't think it was that big of a deal. Is it?"

"It wasn't, but Rory's grandmother said some things about it and it apparently caught her off guard."

"Did she cancel?" Colin asked.

"No and I hope she doesn't."

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

Rory walked back into her apartment, to find Jess with his eyes closed in frustration and Lexi jumping up on the couch.

"The book! The book!" Lexi yelled. Rory smiled and looked over at the TV where Blue's Clues was on.

"Hey Jess, wanna help me in the kitchen." Rory asked with a laugh, knowing his unadulterated hatred for the show.

"Dear god, yes!" Jess said shooting off the couch and going into the kitchen.

"Blue's Clues, Blue's Clues!" Lexi sang causing Rory to wince as she walked into the kitchen herself.

She saw Jess pouring two cups of coffee and sitting at the counter. She sat across from him and grabbed one of the mugs with a smile as she began to drink.

"You feeling better?" Jess asked, worry tinting his voice.

"A little."

"So what are we going to do today?" Jess asked, wanting to change the subject.

"I don't know. We can take Lexi to the park."

"How about you guys go to the park and I go grocery shopping, get things for dinner? And while I cook, you two can go shopping."

"You want me to go shopping with a three-year-old?"

"It'll get her away from the TV."

"BLUE'S CLUES!" They heard Lexi yell.

"And to turn off the insipid show." Jess growled.

"All right, all right, let's go get ready." Rory laughed as they got up and walked into the living room to pry Lexi away from the blue dog and his companion.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

"Was she too much trouble?" Lorelai asked as she picked up her sleeping daughter.

"No, it was fun watching her annoy Jess with Blue's Clues."

"God, I hate that show. The singing, the dancing, the gaiety." Lorelai shuddered. "I hate that Luke lets her watch it."

"It's better than Teletubbies."

"The Wiggles are better than the Teletubbies." Lorelai laughed.

"Hey Lorelai." Jess said coming out of the kitchen and wiping his hands in a towel

"Hey Jess." She said kissing his cheek. "Cooking?"

"Rory's got to eat right." Jess said.

"You know, this is what I love about having cooking men in our family." Lorelai said. "The outfit. I mean, how many times do we get to see Jess in a red and white checkered apron with ruffles?"

"Shut up." Jess grumbled going back to the kitchen.

"I have to go anyway. Luke is also cooking. I will talk to you tomorrow night." Lorelai told Rory.

"Can't."

"That's right, my baby's big date."

"Go mom."

"I feel like I should break into a song."

"Go!" Rory said pushing her mother out of the apartment.

"Is this any way to treat the woman who gave birth to you?" Lorelai asked in mock shock.

"It is when said woman is being annoying."

"You are your mother's daughter, bye babe." She said kissing Rory's cheek.

"Bye mom." Rory said closing the door. She shook her head with a laugh as she sat down at the counter in the kitchen.

"All right." Jess said grabbing the plates from the cabinets. "Let's set the mood." He turned off the light, only leaving some candles that were on the counter to burn.

"Ohh... planning on getting lucky tonight?" Rory teased.

"You know it. All I have to do is get you drunk enough." Jess teased back. "Pesto Alfredo, with chicken and some red wine."

"You are a saint, Jess." Rory said as he set the plate and wine glass in front of her. He sat down across form her and they began to eat.

"So really, how are you?" Jess asked as he grabbed some napkins.

"I'm fine." Rory said swallowing some of the food. "This is really good."

"Thanks, I learned from the best."

"Oh well, Jess," Rory gushed. "I don't consider myself the best, but thank you."

"Shut up." Jess laughed.

"Are you happy, Jess?" Rory asked, sipping on her wine.

"I don't know."

"Still waiting for a girl?" Rory smiled.

"It just seems like we never had the best timing."

"We weren't meant to be," Rory said. "We're best friends... and step cousins. It'd be a little weird."

"It would be, wouldn't it?"

"I can set you up with someone."

"It's fine, Rory."

"Please, let me set you up with someone."

"Fine, who?"

"Jules."

"The girl you work with? No way. I've talked to her on the phone. No way am I even going to meet her face to face."

"Come on, she's nice."

"And not my type."

"What is your type, Jess?"

"You're my type."

"I'm serious." Rory laughed taking another sip of wine.

"Shit, I forgot the bread." Jess said getting up and going over to the oven and taking out the tray with the golden buttered bread. He put it on a small plate and set it between them.

"So..."

"So?"

"What's your type?" Rory laughed.

"I don't know."

"And monosyllabic man strikes again." Rory muttered.

"I'm serious, Rory, I don't know. I guess someone I can talk to, someone who reads and listens to music. Truth is I'm not ready for a relationship right now. My relationship right now is with my restaurant."

"How utterly romantic."

"It's true." He laughed. "My attention right now is solely focused on my restaurant. Right now it's my baby."

"You know I'm proud, right?"

"I know, thank you."

"And you know that when it opens, you will be paying for my flight to Rome, and you will give me the best table in the place and treat me to a free meal, right?"

"I do now." Jess said with a roll of his eyes. "Now eat."

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

Rory woke up to the ringing of the phone. She opened her eyes and found herself in her bed, under the covers for the first time she could remember in weeks. She had been falling asleep at her desk from studying or on the couch for the past few weeks. She had forgotten what her bed felt like.

"Definitely better than the couch," she muttered as she rolled over. The phone had stopped ringing and she was going to get more sleep. Her eyes had just drifted closed when she heard her door bang open and the weight of the bed go down as Jess laid down next to her.

"Some crazy person is on the phone." Jess groaned, kicking the covers as he got under them, then covering his head, sticking the phone in Rory's face.

"What the hell is my mom doing up this early?" Rory groaned.

"Not your mom." Jess mumbled into the pillow.

"Paris?"

"Just answer the damn phone." Jess groaned.

Rory sighed and sat up, pushing her hair out of her face as she brought the phone to her ear. "Hello?"

"Rory?"

Rory frowned. It was a girl on the phone, but she couldn't place the voice. "Yes, who is this?"

"Stephanie, we met a couple of times."

Rory nodded. "I remember, sorry, just woke up."

"It's noon." Steph laughed. Rory looked over at her clock.

"Late night," Rory admitted. "Not to sound rude, but how did you get my number?"

"Finn's phone."

"Oh."

"Anyway, I called to see what you were up to today?"

Rory looked over at a sleeping Jess and rolled her eyes. "Apparently nothing, my best friend just ditched me for sleep. Why?"

"Well, Finn is playing rugby in the park in about an hour."

"Yeah, he told me about that."

"And, well, Logan, Colin and myself usually go root him on, you know, moral support, plus the guys' shorts are really short and they're all hot."

Rory laughed. "I can tell you are definitely Finn's friend."

Steph laughed. "Well, I was wondering if you weren't doing anything, would you want to join us? Why wait until tonight to see Finn?"

"Well, I'm not much of a sports girl."

"I have it on good authority you like to read."

"Yes." Rory said slowly.

"Bring a book."

"I don't..."

"Please, this is the one time that there's a possibility of another girl joining the ranks and I am willing to beg and plead until you succumb."

Rory laughed. "All right."

"Yes! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Steph squealed. "I'm picking you up in an hour."

"Doesn't the game start in an hour?" Rory asked getting out of bed.

"We have to be fashionably late, Rory."

"Of course. I'll be ready by then."

"Great! I'll see you in a while then."

"Bye." Rory said as she hung up the phone. She gave one last glance at Jess before covering him up and going to the bathroom to shower. An hour later, she was dressed in jeans and a black turtleneck. She put on her denim jacket and a scarf and let her hair loose.

"Where are you off to?" Jess asked as she took a sip of the coffee she made and sat down on the edge of the bed to put on classic black and white high tops.

"To a rugby match."

Jess laughed. "No, really, where are you off to?"

"I'm serious."

"You're killing me here, Rory. Where are you off to?"

"To the park. Finn is playing rugby and a friend invited me to go." They heard the doorbell ring and Jess got out of the bed wearing only boxers and looked at Rory before going to answer.

"Do you even know what rugby is?"

"It's not like football." Rory said with a laugh, earning a weird look from Jess. "Never mind, go get the door."

"Fine." Jess relented. He walked to the door and opened it to reveal a bouncy blonde. She smiled at him.

"Hi, I'm Steph, you are..."

He stared at her. She had long blonde curly hair and rich brown eyes with hints of gold if she turned the right way. She was wearing a low rise denim skirt with black fishnet tights and brown Ugg boots, a white long sleeved shirt with a winter coat over and a light blue and purple scarf.

"Hello, anyone there?" She said waving a hand over his eyes.

"Oh," he blinked. "Sorry, come in."

"Thanks."

"I'm Jess by the way."

"You can't be the boyfriend." Steph said looking him up and down and smirked at the pink silk boxers.

"I'm the best friend."

"Ahh, nice boxers." Steph laughed.

"Hey Steph," Rory said.

"Hey Rory."

"Sorry to have kept you waiting, I couldn't find my cell."

"Found it?"

"Yeah, under my bed."

"Yeah, sorry, I kicked it under there when I put you to bed. "Jess said scratching the back of his head. "Got too lazy to get it."

"Plus you were drunk." Rory said remembering the amount of wine they both had.

"Yeah, there was that too."

"We better get going," Steph said. "There is fashionably late and then there is tacky late."

"Right." Rory kissed Jess's cheek. "You'll be okay?"

"Yeah, I think a trip to Stars Hollow is in order." Jess replied.

"Well, you know where the extra keys are. Don't do anything stupid." Rory pleaded.

"No promises, now go."

"Bye Jess." Steph said.

"Bye." Jess replied waving. Rory and Steph walked out the door, Rory locked the door and walked over to the elevators with Steph. The doors opened and Steph pushed the button for the lobby before turning to Rory.

"He is cute."

"Who?"

"Jess."

"Oh. Yeah, I know."

"How can you go a minute without jumping him? Did you see his body, it's gorgeous."

"Yes, it is." Rory admitted. She'd have to be blind not to see how gorgeous Jess was. "But it doesn't take much not to jump Jess, seeing as he's my best friend and my step cousin."

"But you're from a small town." Steph said as they stepped off the elevator and walked the few blocks to the park.

"What does that have anything to do with it?" Rory asked confused.

"Don't small towns do the kissing cousins thing?" Steph asked looking at Rory with a frown.

Rory's eyes widened. "No! Ewww. Oh! Ewww, no!"

"Really?"

"Not all small towns are like that. Eww." Rory shuddered. Steph laughed.

"Sorry."

"It's okay, eww." They walked the rest of the way in silence, walking under the arch to the entrance of the park and over to the area where they had set up the field. Bleachers were set up as well.

"Hey, there you are, guys!" Logan said running up to them.

"Hey Logan." They both said.

"Hey Rory, Finn is going to be excited to see you." Colin said.

"Hey Colin, and I'm glad. I've never actually been to a rugby game before." She admitted. "I'm excited to see it."

"Besides too flimsy shorts, there's nothing much to see." Steph said with a laugh.

"Are you kidding?" Logan asked as they walked over to the bleachers and climbed to the top. "There's hitting and kicking and if you're lucky, you see blood."

"Thank you for pulling me out of bed for this." Rory said to Steph who laughed.

"You are very welcome."

They sat at the top of the bleachers, Colin next to Steph, Rory at her other side and Logan at Rory's side.

"So, is he single?" Steph asked randomly as Rory watched the players huddled in a group.

"Is who single?" Rory asked looking over at her.

"Jess." Steph laughed.

"Oh, um, yeah, he is." Rory answered.

"Is he looking for someone?" Steph asked, both girls not catching the looks passed between Colin and Logan.

"Actually we were talking about that last night. I've wanted to set him up for a while."

"Really?" Steph asked interested.

"Yeah, but he's not really looking for anything right now."

"Oh." Rory could hear the disappointment in Steph's voice.

"He's living in Rome and is opening a restaurant down there. As he said last night, his relationship is with his restaurant. That's where all his attention is." Rory shrugged. "I would love to see him with a steady girlfriend though."

"What's he like?" Steph asked.

"Jess?"

"Who have we been talking about for the last five minutes?" Steph asked sarcastically.

"He's nice, real sweet, would do anything for me if I asked, except move back. Believe me, I've tried. He's in love with Lexi."

"Lexi?" Steph asked.

"My little sister."

"His cousin?"

"Yeah, she's three." Rory smiled, looking away from the field where she had spotted Finn and over to Steph. "He's been there for me, even when he really didn't need to be. He's a reader and he likes music. He's egotistic and a jackass and I love him." Rory shrugged.

"What does he read?"

"He's really into Hemingway."

"That's the one that wrote about the whale, right?" Steph asked.

Colin, Logan and Rory turned to Steph in disbelief. "That was Melville." Rory answered.

"Okay, so I'm not a reader." Steph said with a shrug. "I can wing it."

Rory laughed. "That's what Jess did most of his time. He stole my books, vandalized them, then gave them back."

"He vandalized your books?" Logan asked.

"Wrote notes on the margins." Rory laughed. "He still does, only because he knows it annoys me."

"What about music?"

"Um, his taste varies. It can go from mind numbing loud to very serene and calm. Mostly it's mind numbing. He can't sleep without it. Trust me, I know. When he was living in Stars Hollow, I could hear his music all the way to my house."

"Rory?" She looked up and saw Finn standing over them.

"Hey, you're dirty."

"It's what happens when you have the ball and twenty men jump on you."

"Dirty." Rory said causing Steph to laugh. Finn rolled his eyes.

"You out?" Colin asked.

"I got replaced for a few minutes." Finn said.

"Here." Logan said handing him a water bottle.

"Thanks, mate, I forgot it."

"Obviously." Colin muttered.

"What's up with him?" Finn asked Logan.

"Tell you later." Logan replied.

"I'm going to go find some people that are selling candy," Rory said getting up. "At any sporting event there are people mooching off very hungry people and I am one of them." She climbed down the steps and Finn laughed.

"I'll go point out a stand." Finn said getting up and following her. He found her at a stand, getting a small bag of popcorn and some Twizzlers.

"It's horrid." Rory said as she walked up to him.

"What is, love?" Finn asked wrapping an arm around her waist and leaning his back against one of the bleacher posts.

"They don't serve coffee."

Finn laughed. "Absolutely horrid." He leaned down and kissed her softly only to have her pull away before he could deepen it. "Now why'd you go and do that?"

"You're dirty."

"In more ways than one." He said with a wiggle of his eyebrows. Rory rolled her eyes.

"How about you tell me how you play this game?" She said pointing out towards the field.

"All right." He turned around so that they were looking out at it. "There are two teams with fifteen players."

"All right."

"And you have to carry the ball to the In goal area." He said pointing towards the end of the field. "You can carry, kick, pass, or ground the ball, and whoever scores the most points, wins."

"Thank you for putting into layman's terms." Rory said grateful that he wasn't a guy that went into excruciating details of how to play the game.

"I can tell you're not much of a sports fan."

"I'd rather read."

"Now can I kiss you?" Finn asked.

"You're so gentlemanly." She said popping a piece of popcorn in her mouth as she smiled at him.

"And you are very..." Finn trailed off as he saw his team waving him over. "We will continue this tonight." He said looking down at her.

"Of course." She leaned up and kissed him. "Go jump on some guys"

"You make it sound dirty." Finn groaned as he walked backwards towards his team.

"I know, isn't it great!" He shook his head as he turned and jogged back to the group waiting for him. Rory smiled as she climbed up the steps to her seat.

"Hey, how'd the smooching fest go?" Steph teased.

"It didn't," Rory said. "He got called away."

"You really like him, don't you?" Colin asked.

Rory nodded. "Yeah, I do." She admitted. "Finn's different. I don't have much experience with guys seeing as I've been with the same one for seven years, Finn's... I like him."

"Good, cause he likes you too." Logan said as they watched Finn jog onto the field.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

After going for a celebratory coffee with Finn and his friends, they had let Rory off at her apartment. Finn had told her he'd pick her up at six, giving her almost two hours to get ready.

"Men!", she muttered as she searched her closet. He hadn't given her any clue as to where they were going or what they were doing, making it impossible for Rory to find the right outfit. Time to call in reinforcements.

"Jess!" She yelled. He sauntered into her room, a unlit cigarette in his mouth.

"Yes?"

"If you're going to smoke, do it outside." She said as she threw out yet another dress from her closet into the rejected pile.

"I was about to when you called. What can I do for you, my dear?"

"I don't know what to wear." Rory said as she sat defeated on her bed. Her hair was curled and down around her shoulders and her make up was done in light, natural colors. All she needed was an outfit. "And he's going to be here in a half an hour."

"Right," Jess went over to her closet and looked at the clothes that she still had left in it, seeing as most of it ended up on her bed. "What are you doing?"

"I'm waiting for you to pick out my outfit, what does it look like I'm doing?" Rory asked frustrated. Jess rolled his eyes and looked over his shoulder at her. She was wearing a light blue terry robe, held loosely together.

"I meant on your date."

"Oh, I'm not sure, he didn't tell me."

"Right, well" Jess sighed and looked over at the pile on her bed. "Then you want something casual yet formal. You can't go wrong with dress pants." He said pulling out black dress pants that flared at the end. He handed them to Rory. "Then a nice formal shirt to go with it." He said going back to her closet and pulling out a black 3/4 button down shirt and threw it over to her. "Then your black jacket with black heels."

"You've got the queer eye, my friend," Rory said getting off the bed and kissing his cheek as she went to the bathroom to get dressed.

"Hey Ror?" Jess asked through the door.

"Yeah?"

"You know that girl? The one that picked you up earlier?"

"Steph?"

"Yeah, that's the one. Is she single?"

Rory looked at herself in the mirror and bit her lip. She knew that Colin liked her, Finn had told her as much. She didn't want Jess to cause problems with her new friends. She pulled up her pants and put on her shirt opening the door as she buttoned everything up.

"Yes, but she's off limits." Rory stated.

"Excuse me?"

"Colin likes her, Jess. He's liked her for a while, and I don't want to cause problems." She walked back to her room and found her black pumps, miraculously, in her closet where she had last left them. She slipped them on, then grabbed her black clutch purse, putting in her cell, a few twenties and some lip gloss.

"So I can't ask her out, huh?"

"No one is stopping you, I'd just rather you didn't," she looked at her clock and saw that she still had five minutes. She went to her vanity and looked through her jewelry. "But if it makes you feel better, she asked about you today too." She said looking at Jess through the mirror.

"She's cute."

"Yes, she is. She thinks you're gorgeous."

"Really?"

"Really." She struggled to put on a necklace with a fairy pendant until Jess came over and helped her.

"It's just, I saw her, and well..." Jess looked down after hooking it on. Rory looked at him.

"You really like her, huh?"

"I don't know."

Rory sighed. as she searched for something, settling on simple, small, silver earrings and putting on her silver watch her mother had given her a few months ago for her birthday.

"Jess, just don't cause trouble. You're here for two weeks and I don't want you getting into fistfights with my new friend, only because I know you can take Colin."

"Damn right."

They heard the doorbell ring. Rory took a deep breath and let it go slowly. "It's him, how do I look?"

"Great, go get him."

"Thanks, I'll be back later."

"I won't wait up." Jess said as she grabbed her purse and went to meet Finn.

She opened the door and found him standing there with a smile on his face. He was wearing faded jeans that hung low on his hips and a short sleeved green button down shirt, the top two buttons undone and a brown jacket on top.

"You clean up well." Rory said grabbing her keys and closing the door.

"You don't look half bad either, love." He said taking her hand and leading her to the elevator.

"So what are we doing tonight?"

"Well, it's a surprise." He said pushing the lobby button.

"I'm not fond of surprises," she stated.

"I bet you love them, just don't have the patience to wait for them."

"You think you have me pegged." She said. "It's cute." The elevator stopped and he led her out to his car.

"Come on." He said opening the door for her. She smiled at him and got in the car. He went around got in and started the car and backed out driving out of the apartment complex.

"Come on, where are we going?"

"We're almost there." Finn laughed.

"We are?" Rory racked her brain for restaurants near the apartments, but couldn't remember seeing any.

"Yep." She felt the car stop and him smirk. "We're here." She looked out the window then turned back to him.

"A supermarket, Finn?"

Finn nodded as he got out of the car and opened the door for her. He held out a hand and helped her out, closing her door and locking the car, before stuffing the keys in his pocket.

"Yep."

"We are having our date at a supermarket?" She asked as they walked in and Finn grabbed a cart.

"Nope, we are getting the necessities for our date at the supermarket."

"What?"

"I wanted to cook for you."

"Really?" She asked. Only two men had ever cooked for her, Luke and Jess.

"Yep. I kicked Colin and Logan out of the apartment until I give them the signal to come back. So it's all ours."

"But why didn't you get the stuff before our date?"

Finn looked over at her and shrugged. "Two reason really. Firstly, I didn't know if you were allergic to anything, so it's better you tell me as we're picking things. That way I can improvise. And secondly, it's more fun this way."

Rory bit her lip and put her purse in the cart. "Yeah, it is."

"Great, now do you have anything against crab?"

"Not really."

"Great. We need that," Finn ran down the mental list of everything he needed as they walked down every aisle, adding things for Rory if she had the craving.

"Oh! Hostess cupcakes!" Rory said grabbing the box. "Please?"

"Throw them in." Finn laughed. They went to the dairy section and Finn scanned the items. "We need a pound of cream cheese."

"What for?"

"That, my love, I am not telling."

Rory smiled at the endearment as she grabbed the cream cheese and put it in the cart.

"Also some sour cream, eggs and milk." He listed as he grabbed a packet of sugar. Rory went and grabbed the things and put them in the cart. Then they went to the deli. He told Rory what else he needed as he ordered the meat. He found her a few minutes later staring at the vegetables.

"What's wrong, love?"

"How do you know if the vegetables are good?" She asked innocently, causing him to look down in wonderment.

"You mom never taught you?"

Rory laughed at that. "We never eat vegetables unless it's in our burgers. Even then we make a fuss about it."

"Did you always eat out?" He asked looking at the onions.

"No. When my mom started dating Luke, he cooked at our house. Before that... yeah."

"So no one has ever prepared a meal for you?"

"Well, there were always the dinners at my grandparents', but half the time it was some rich fancy dinner. Then there are Luke and Jess, but they don't count. And neither does Sookie. So no, not really."

"Well, I'm glad to be the first." Fin smiled as he kissed her temple. "Now, the way to tell if vegetables are good is if they're firm. They can't be too hard and can't be too soft."

"Why not?"

"Too hard most likely means they're not ripe yet, and too soft means it's close to bad."

"And that's bad, right?"

"Right. You want to get vegetables and fruit right in the middle, when their flavor is the best."

"I should so introduce you to Sookie." Rory laughed.

"All right," Finn said as he got some stalks of celery. "That should be it. I have a lot of the other things at home." He led them towards the checkout stand and started putting things on the convey belt.

"Finn, let me pay for some of it." Rory said as she got her purse out of the cart.

"You're crazy."

"No, I'm feeling guilty, please."

"Nope, this is my date." Finn said as he put the last item in and pushed the cart forward so the bag boy could put the bags in it. "You can pay for the next one, all right?"

Rory bit her lip, but nodded. "Fine."

"Good." The cashier rang up the last item and told them the total that ranged in the hundreds. Finn passed his card to her without so much as a wince. They slid the card through and passed Finn the receipt, which he stuffed in his pocket without glancing at it. The bag boy put the last bag in their cart and they walked out.

"All right, so now," he said as he put the bags in the trunk, "We go back to the house."

"And we cook."

"Correction, love, _I_ cook. You stay away from my kitchen."

Before Rory had a chance to reply, a woman's voice sounded behind them.

"Eugene?" Rory watched Finn freeze and straighten closing his eyes. She could tell he knew who it was. He turned around and looked at the woman with long red hair and bright green eyes.

"Angela," he whispered.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

**_AN:_** Hope you enjoyed the 21 pages lol. I really wanted to get that part out. You have no idea! It was all so much fun to write.

I really wanted a triangle between Jess, Steph and Colin. Only because I enjoy writing Jess and I think that I've made him a big part of Rory's life, so what more reason for him to stay if not for Steph. Plus he wouldn't be Jess if he didn't stir up some trouble, right?

Now you might be hating me for that ending. I've been wanting to write the ending for ever! lol. When I first started writing this, I didn't want Rory to be the only one with problems, I really wanted Finn to be dealing with some things. And you'll find out more about what that is in the next chapter and in future ones. That is all I will say.

Now I hope you enjoyed this!

Tell me how much by the pretty purple/Blue button!

Kassandra


	21. The Tragic Accident

_**Part 21: The Tragic Accident**_

"Eugene?" Rory watched Finn freeze and straighten closing his eyes. She could tell he knew who it was. He turned around and looked at the woman with long red hair and bright green eyes.

"Angela," he whispered.

"Long time no see." Angela said with a smile.

"Five years." Finn stated crossing his arms over his chest. "I didn't know you were back."

Angela shrugged. "I never left."

"Right." Finn said. Angela looked over and smiled kindly at Rory.

"Hello." She said.

Rory felt Finn wrap an arm around her waist and pull her closer to him. She looked up at him with a smile, then back at Angela.

"Hi." She said.

"I'm Angela Rutherford." Angela said sticking out her hand.

"Rory Gilmore." Rory said, shaking it.

"You're so pretty. I always knew that Eugene would find a pretty girl for a girlfriend."

"Oh... Well." Rory bit her lip and looked up at a silent Finn.

"We're still working on that aspect of our relationship." Finn said.

"Um... Finn, why don't I wait in the car?" Rory said. Finn nodded and gave her the keys. She walked around him and went towards the driver's side.

"Wrong side, love."

"Don't worry about it, I'll drive." She said with a smile as she got in. Finn turned back to Angela.

"So what are you doing here?" Finn asked.

"I was walking into the store when I thought I saw you. You're a pretty distinct person to recognize." Angela said with a shrug. "Thought I'd come over and say hi."

"After five years?" He asked raising an eyebrow.

"Eugene."

"Don't call me that." Finn said with a wince. "I hate it when people call me that."

"Used to love it when I called you that." Angela muttered.

"You still haven't answered my question." Finn said, his arms over his chest once again.

"Look, I saw you, I hadn't seen you in a while. I thought I'd say hi, we're friends..." Upon looking at Finn's cold face she sighed. "Used to be friends, thought it'd be nice."

"You thought wrong, though you tend to do that a lot."

Angela glared at him. "All right, I messed up." Finn scoffed. "All right, I messed up a lot, but I'm trying to rectify the situation."

"After five years?"

"Yes, _Finn_, after five years." Angela said crossing her arms over her chest.

"Angie?" They both turned and looked up at a brown haired man holding the hand of a brown haired kid.

"Who's that?" Finn asked. He watched Angela turn back to him and bite her lip.

"My husband." Angela said. Finn nodded.

"Right, I have to go." Finn said pointing to the car where Rory was waiting.

"Finn, we have to talk."

"No, we don't. Really, I understand, you never gave a damn." Finn said coldly.

"Do NOT say that." Angela glowered. "Don't think for one minute that I never cared because you know better than that."

"How old is the kid, _Angie_?" He watched her look away from him with a glare. He put the last grocery bag in the car and slammed the trunk closed. "That's what I thought." She turned back to him.

"I do need to talk to you."

"I'm not talking to you." Finn said turning to get in the car.

"It's about James." She whispered. Finn stopped with his hand on the handle and looked over at her. She exhaled and looked at him. "If you change your mind..." She dug into her purse and handed him a card. "You can reach me at that number. It really is important, Finn."

"If it was so important, why'd you wait five years to tell me?" Finn muttered stuffing the card in his pocket and getting in the car without a goodbye. He watched her from the mirror. She stared at the car for a minute, then turned back to the man and the child before walking away.

"You okay?" Rory asked. He felt her grab his hand in comfort.

"I'll be fine." Finn said looking out the window.

"You still want us to go back to your place or do you want to reschedule?" Rory asked, causing Finn to turn to her.

"No, let's go back, I still want to cook for you. Calm my nerves a bit. We won't let Angela ruin our night. Now let's go," he said gently. Rory nodded before backing out of the spot and driving back to the apartment. She glanced at Finn who was staring out the window, brooding. She bit her lip.

"Hey Finn?" She asked.

"Yes?"

"Did you have wallabies?" She asked. Finn frowned and turned to her.

"What?"

"When you were younger and living in Australia, as pets did you have wallabies?" She asked as she parked in his space, turned off the car and turned to look at him. He searched her face for any signs of teasing, but found none which caused him to laugh and kiss her.

"No, we didn't, love." He said pulling back with a laugh. "Come on, let's get all this out."

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

"All right, you need help with something?" Rory asked as they brought in the last bag.

"Nope, I've got everything covered." Finn answered as he kicked the door closed and put the bag on the counter. Rory nodded and sat down on one of the stools at the counter, watching him unpack and separate the ingredients into three different groups.

"So what, Mr. Rothschild, are you making for me?"

"Well," he said, placing all the empty bags in the cabinet under the sink, then going over to the next cabinet and getting out mixing bowls and oven pans. "All I will tell you is that it will be a three course meal, starting with appetizers."

"Oh, sounds fancy." Rory teased, leaning her elbows in the counter and leaning in to watch.

"It will be," Finn responded going to the pantry. She watched as he disappeared for a few seconds, then came back out carrying a bottle of wine and getting two glasses, setting them down in front of her. He popped the cork with little difficulty and Rory laughed.

"What?" He asked.

"I don't know what it is with men and being able to pop the cork off with so much ease."

"Lots of practice." Finn laughed as he poured the glasses. He set the bottle down then raised his glass. "To a good test run." He said.

"Hear, hear." Rory responded clinking her glass with his and taking a sip. She set it down and looked at him as he started getting things for what she assumed were the appetizers. "Are you sure I can't help?"

Finn looked at her from the corner of his eye and smirked. "Have you ever been within a ten foot distance of a knife, love?"

"As a matter of fact I have." Rory responded sliding off her stool and grabbing her glass of wine. He stopped cutting the bread and looked fully at her as she hopped onto the counter, next to the cutting board and next to his standing figure.

"Oh, really?"

"Yes, dad taught me to cook. Well, attempted to."

"Dad?"

"Luke." Rory explained. "He tried to teach me to cook. You know, daughter-father bonding type things. All I got out of it was how to make deserts."

"That I do not doubt."

"I make mean cookies and muffins, ask my mom."

"What about actual food?"

"Cookies are actual food, Finn."

"No, but food you eat on a daily..." He looked at her serious face and nodded. "Right, I'm talking to you, what was I thinking?"

"I have no idea."

"Why do you call Luke dad?" Finn asked as he opened the package of crab and drained the water into the sink.

"I don't know... well, I do." Rory said. "When my mom married him a few years ago it just came natural. It's mostly whatever comes out though, sometimes I call him Luke, and sometimes dad."

"How does your dad dad feel about it?" Finn asked as he started cutting the crab into little pieces, to make it flaky.

"I'm not really sure." Rory said with a shrug as she watched his hands wield the knife like a pro. She always got enjoyment out of watching certain people cook. She looked up at his face which was turned down to watch what his hands were doing. "I rarely talk to my dad."

"Why's that?"

"I'm not close to him," she admitted, "He was in and out of my life a lot. When he and my mom were finally going to make it work, he got his girlfriend pregnant and left to have a kid with another woman." She shrugged. "It was his decision, but I'll get a call from him every once in a while."

"You don't sound too happy about it." Finn said taking his eyes off the crab to look at her.

"I'm not. I don't like that he thinks that I'm okay with him just leaving us like that. I was seventeen, I thought I was finally going to get my mom and dad together, live like a normal person... well, as normal as I could. But when that didn't happen, I guess he sort of expected things to go back as usual, a few calls here, a few there, a once a year visit. It wasn't until I was at Yale that I really cut myself off from him. But this is too depressing a subject."

Finn nodded and continued to flake the crab. He put it in a small bowl and looked at her.

"All right, you want to help?"

"Yes." Rory said excitedly as she sipped on her wine. She took off her coat and went to put it on the couch before going back into the kitchen.

"All right then. Grate, one cup of this Swiss cheese."

"Grate?" She asked. Finn looked over at her and nodded handing her the grater.

"Hold it like this."

"I know how, Finn." Rory laughed as he started to position himself behind her to help her.

"All right, then you'll want to put that into the bowl, with the crab, then pour a cup of sour cream, the onions I'm about to cut, and the lemon juice I'll pour."

"All right," Rory said. "Doesn't sound too hard." She said as she began to grate the cheese. Five minutes later Finn had her sit back on the counter.

"It was an accident." Rory defended as she hopped back up on her previous spot.

"I highly doubt that." Finn said as he put the ingredients in the bowl.

"I swear the knife slipped!" Rory said.

"Of course it did." Finn said looking at his bandaged hand and wincing.

"It did!"

"What I don't understand is why you had the knife, I said nothing about using the knife."

Rory shrugged. "The sour cream package was hard to open." Finn shot her a glare in which she stuck out her tongue.

"You come nowhere near this food unless you are eating it, all right?"

"Fine."

"You know what I think?" Finn said.

"What?"

"I think you did it on purpose."

"What!" Rory asked surprised at the accusation. "I didn't mean to cut you, Finn!"

"I think that it's the years of Emily Gilmore breeding your manners into your head, that you had to ask to help, not really wanting to, and getting out of it by doing something your mother taught you."

"No!"

"How many times has Luke been cut with your mom helping?" Finn watched as Rory blushed and looked away. "Thought as much." He laughed setting the oven to 400. He cut the sourdough bread into ten slices, scooping the crab mix onto the bread and putting them onto a cooking sheet. He opened the oven door, made sure it was hot enough before sliding them in and setting the timer.

"All right, 15 minutes, then they'll be ready." He said clearing the area to start on dinner.

"Already smells good, wanna share what's for dinner?"

"Not particularly."

"I know it has something with that four pound brisket you got."

"It does have something to do with that four pound brisket I bought." Finn humored her as he sipped his wine.

"And the potatoes?"

"Maybe the potatoes."

"And that green stuff?"

"What green stuff?" Finn asked confused.

"You know... the things that when added together, you get..." She looked both ways, before leaning over to him and whispering in his ear "A salad." She pulled back as Finn looked at her before throwing his head back and laughing.

"Yes," he continued to laugh. "And the salad."

Rory nodded. "So we are eating brisket, potatoes... and sa-lad." She said imitating SpongeBob.

"I knew there was a reason you were a reporter." He said sarcastically as he grabbed the brisket from the fridge and took it out of its wrapping. He grabbed the roasting pan and put it on the counter next to her leg. Rory watched in silence as he began cutting the vegetables, onions, carrots, celery and parsley and the garlic, then putting them on the bottom of the pan. He put the brisket over the vegetables, then poured some liquid over it. He looked at her confused glance.

"To keep it from drying." He explained to her. Just as he was finishing up, the timer to the oven went off. He put on an oven mitt and got out the cooking sheet taking out the golden bread and the bubbly crab. He readjusted the heat to the oven for 300, before sliding in the pan and setting the now covered roasting pan into the oven, closing the door and setting the timer. He took out a large, white serving plate and slid the crab on bread onto it carefully before putting them next to Rory and standing between her legs.

"All right, so the brisket takes about two and a half hours to cook. I still need to bake the potatoes and make the salad, but that can be done after the first hour and a half. That way the salad stays good and the potatoes warm."

"So?"

"So we can start making dessert now. That way it's ready to be put in the oven while we eat."

"We?"

"Alright, I."

Rory laughed and nodded. "Sounds great, what's for dessert?"

"Cheesecake." Finn replied, still standing between her legs

"Oh! I love it!"

"I know."

"How?"

"Jess told me."

"Figures." She said with a roll of her eyes.

Finn watched as she looked down at the plate of crab on sourdough, taking one and blowing on it lightly. He resisted the urge to groan when she brought it up to her lips and took a bite. To him it was as if everything was going in slow motion, from her biting into it to her chewing and groaning in delight when the flavor hit her taste buds.

"Oh my god." She said finishing it off. "That was good. You know, I'm not a huge fan of crab, but that... that was delicious."

"You, my dear, _look_ delicious." He said before claiming her lips with his. He tasted the soft taste of the crab and bread on her lips. He felt her arms wrap around his neck, bringing him closer. He slid his hands around her waist, resting them on the small of her back as they kissed. Just as he was going to slide his hands under her shirt to touch her skin, the door slammed open, interrupting, causing them both to break apart and look at the intrusion.

"We were in the middle of something." Finn growled out, causing Rory to bite her lip to keep from laughing.

"So I see, I'll be right out." Logan said going down the hall to his room.

"You weren't even supposed to be in." Finn shouted.

"I just needed something for my date!" Logan shouted back as he came back out patting his back pocket. "And now I have them. So I will leave you both alone. I will not be coming back tonight, so don't you and Colin worry your little heads about me." Logan laughed. "And please, don't let this ruin your evening." With that said, he closed the door with a wink in Rory's direction and left.

"Sorry." Finn apologized. Rory smiled and gave a nod before wrapping her arms around his neck.

"It's all right. I have a feeling that even if Logan hadn't walked in, I would have stopped it anyway. Now you promised me desert." Rory reminded.

Finn decided not to push the topic, deciding to nod his head instead and get to work on the cheesecake, letting her watch him work in a comfortable silence.

A total of three hours later, dinner was ready, the cheesecake was in the oven and they were setting the counter.

"I'm starving." Rory said as she put the napkins and utensils on the counter as Finn finished with making the plates.

"So am I. Next time we're ordering out." He said as he set the plates down and refilled their glasses of wine.

"Or you can decide to make something with less cooking time." Rory suggested as she sat down in front of the steaming plate.

"I'll take that into consideration." He told her, sitting down himself. "Now we eat."

"First a toast." Rory said, raising her glass.

"To what?" Finn asked, raising his glass as well.

"I don't know, how about to a good meal and hopefully more to come?"

Finn gave a short nod. "Cheers." He clinked his glass with hers, took a sip and set it down before cutting into his dinner.

"Finn?" Rory asked, taking a bite of her meat and sighing at the taste.

"Yes?" He asked happy with Rory's reaction.

"Who was that girl?" She asked. Finn stiffened, but played the dumb act.

"What girl?"

"The girl at the supermarket."

"Jealous?" He asked trying to lighten the mood.

"I have no right to be." She admitted looking away from his teasing gaze and down at her meal. "I know you've had 'girlfriends' before just as you know I was married."

"Angela wasn't a girlfriend." Finn sighed.

"I was using the term loosely, Finn." Rory said causing Finn to smirk.

"Angela... was... James... When James died..." Finn trailed off and looked down at his own plate, trying to calm his nerves.

So many emotions raced through him, anger boarding on rage, confusion, love, sadness. It was hard to just pick out one and go with it. It was hard thinking of his brother and thinking calmly. But he tried his hardest to find that certain emotion to explain it to Rory. When he got at least a bit of control he looked back at her. She was looking at him patiently.

"Before... this is hard to explain." He admitted.

"You don't have to." She told him, causing him to shake his head.

"I want to." He found himself saying. Odd how he hadn't even talked to Logan and Colin about it, yet with Rory, he was trying to find the best words to tell her. He took a deep breath and continued.

"Before James died, he and Angela... they were in love. They were dating for about five years." He admitted with soft smile when he remembered his brother talking about his beloved Angela, with bright red hair and brighter smile.

"When I came back for the summer before my first year at Yale, they came home. James studied in Australia. He was studying to become a pediatrician knowing that he was going to take over the family business. He told me that it always did some good to have something to fall back on just in case he ran the family biz into the ground. He took business classes to keep our father happy though. He and Angela carried a long distance relationship, him flying up here every month to visit her, her going there, phone calls every night, on breaks, emails, all that."

Finn took a breath and continued. "That summer James went to go visit Angela first, then came home, Angela at tow. I was so happy. Angela and I were very close. She was the sister I had never had. She had been just as much in love with James as he had been with her. So imagine my excitement when I found out that James and she were getting married. He would be graduating a few months later and moving back to Hartford to take over one of the many hotels my family owns here. Angela was just finishing up her master's in Literature. She was studying to become an English teacher." He told her.

He looked down at and took a bite of his food. Rory blinked and suddenly remembered the food in front of her, taking a bite of her potatoes and shoving the salad away, getting it to go as far as it could without it falling. She looked up to see Finn watching her in amusement. She took another bite.

"So what happened?" She asked. "You and Angela didn't seem so close earlier."

Finn shrugged. "I'm not sure." He admitted. "Angela showed me her ring, I hugged her, then my brother, then we went out to lunch and talked. I got a call from Logan asking if I wanted to hang out. So I left them to hang out with Colin and Logan. When I got back home, I heard James and my father yelling in the study, Angela and my mother sitting silently at the dining room table staring at their plates, not saying a word.

"Just as I was about to ask about it, James stalked off, excused himself and Angela and they left. About two hours later we got the call that James was in the hospital in Intensive Care. Turns out that as he was driving back, he ran a stoplight and got hit by a truck. Had to use the jaws of life to get him out of the car and onto the stretcher."

"Oh my god, Finn, I'm... I don't know what to say."

Finn shrugged. "He was upset," he told her. "He wasn't thinking straight, he wasn't looking and he wasn't paying attention."

"What was he upset about?" Rory asked.

"I'm not sure. All I know is that it had something to do with Angela."

"Do you blame her for your brother's death?" Rory asked.

Finn looked up at her in surprise. "No." He replied quickly, surprised that she had that conclusion. "Of course not. I could never blame her for that. I blame my father for that. Among other things." He said quickly before she could reply.

"Then why aren't you close anymore?"

"I'm not sure." Finn began. "Well, I do. All during the time James was in the hospital, Angela was there. He had gotten out of surgery, but was in a coma and put on life support." He told her. "If we weren't in the café getting something to eat or drink, we were in James's room, talking to him, watching TV, reading to him. Everything to get him to come out of it. After about a month, the doctor told my parents that there probably wasn't a chance that James would ever come out of it. He was just... not there.

"So he gave my parents a choice, take him off the life support or leave him on. My father without a moment's thought took him off. Almost killed my mum." Finn said quietly. By this time Rory was holding onto his hand, their meals forgotten.

"James?" Rory asked the silent question, obviously knowing the answer.

"Didn't make it. Didn't make it a week, my bastard father didn't give a damn. James had screwed up, somehow. We buried him at the end of that week. I saw Angela and when I went to go talk to her at the end of the service, she turned away and left. Just like that. Like the last five years hadn't happened, like she had never been in love with him."

"It hurt you." Rory stated.

"Like hell." Finn admitted with a bitter laugh. "I was eighteen, I had just lost my brother, my best friend in the entire world. The man that taught me everything, from how to tie my shoes to how to play rugby. He was more of a father than my own, even if he was two years older than I. I loved Angela as a sister and I thought she had loved me in that way as well. And that day I was proven wrong. She had walked away."

"Do you know anything about what your father and James had been arguing about?"

"Like I said, Angela. But what I don't understand is why. My father strived on making Angela and James very comfortable together. He saw her and instantly knew that she was a perfect Rothschild wife. She had the name, the status, the wealth. She was beautiful." Finn shrugged. "But something happened while I was out that made him change his mind about her."

"Have you ever tried talking to him about it?" Rory asked.

Finn snorted. "Talk to my father? Yeah right, that's easy." He looked up at her. "My father isn't the talking sort, love. He's the yelling sort. But to answer your question, yes, I have tried asking him about it. He refuses to say anything, and if my mum knows anything, which I _know_ she does, she refuses to talk which is a miracle in itself."

"Why's that?" Rory asked, hearing the humor in his voice.

"Because my mother can't keep a secret. So this has got to be pretty bad if it's got her mouth shut for the past five years." Finn shrugged. "It's gotten to the point where I really just don't care anymore. James was my brother and a very good man, and any secret laying in there isn't going to change that."

"Aren't you in the least bit curious though?"

"Hell, of course I'm curious, but..."

"I knew there was one coming."

"It's not worth knowing anymore. It's been five years. The pain of my brother's death is still there, but it's gotten to the point where I don't feel it much anymore. It's a very dull ache and I want to keep it like that."

Rory smiled, leaned in and kissed his lips lightly "That is very sweet."

"Thanks," he said. He looked down at both their plates, and noticed that they were both cleared. He took them both and put them in the sink wanting to keep his hands busy. He looked at the timer on the cake and noticed it had a few second left, so took it out and turned off the timer. Putting it on the stove, he let it cool.

"Finn?" Rory asked as she stood next to him, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Yes?" he asked wrapping his arms around her, hugging her to him.

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For trusting me with that story. I know it wasn't easy for you to tell." He looked down at her and kissed the top of her head. They stayed like that for a few minutes, holding on to each other, breathing in sync, totally relaxed with each other.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

"I had a great time tonight." Rory said as she hugged him and kissed him lightly.

"As did I, love."

When the cheesecake was cooling down, Finn had suggested she go pick a movie while he started some coffee that they would watch while eating the dessert. They had watched _Moulin Rouge_ and ate their desert, quite comfortable laying against each other on the couch. Colin had come back in the middle of it, talking to himself about 'those damn females' and slamming his door closed.

By two o'clock and two movies later, Rory had told him that she had to get back. She had a class in the morning and she couldn't miss it. He had offered to walk her back and she had accepted.

"So what did you think?" Finn asked. "Successful test run?"

Rory smiled. "I'd say very."

"So a repeat?"

"Oh, it's a must." She laughed.

"All right then. I will talk to you later." He leaned down kissing her softly and pulling back before she gave him the chance to deepen it.

"Night Finn."

"Night love."

She opened her door and walked, giving him one last smile before closing the door. He smiled and walked to the elevator, the door opening immediately when he pushed the button. He leaned against the wall as the doors closed and stuffed his hands in his pockets, his right hand coming in contact with a paper. He pulled it out and looked at it;

_**Angela Michaels-Rutherford**_

_**Home: 555-6785**_

_**Cell: 555-3454**_

Finn sighed and stuffed it back in his pocket as the doors opened to his floor. Maybe, just maybe, he'd give her a call.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

**_AN: _**Okay, I just want to make this clear. Finn did not love Angela in a love love way. He loved her as a sister. She will not cause problems between Finn and Rory, other things will do that. But she will share some stuff with Finn, including the dinner, which Finn was not present for.

At the start of this story, I had decided that I didn't want it to be all Rory's problems, involving Dean and all that. I wanted Finn to have problems too. And those involve his dad and Angela. Everything will be clear in future chappies.

The recipes to the appetizers Finn made will be on my blog, under the Fear of Rejection page. If you want them. They are really good!

Hope you enjoyed!

You know what to do!

Kassandra

P.S: GO TO MY BLOG FOR AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE! (www. Kassruvalcabas. blogspot. com)(No spaces!)


	22. Finding Out the Truth

_**Part 22: Finding Out the Truth**_

Rory walked into her apartment, a smile firmly on her face as she walked to her room. She kicked her shoes off into her closet as she took off her coat.

"Have fun?"

Rory jumped and turned around to see a smirking Jess leaning against her doorjamb.

"Jeez, Jess, are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

"That is my ultimate goal, yes," he nodded as he went over and sat on her bed. "Now talk."

"You're like a girlfriend… only you're not a girl… and you're straight. You are straight, right?" Rory asked peering over her shoulder at a glaring Jess.

"Yes, I am. Now what did you guys do?"

"He took me to the grocery store," Rory said taking off her shirt and putting on a cotton tank top.

"How cheap," Jess said with a roll of his eyes.

"Actually," Rory said unbuttoning her pants, "It was sweet."

"He took you shopping for food," Jess stated.

Rory went to her dresser, grabbed some sweats and pulled them on. "He took me shopping for food that he cooked at his apartment."

"He cooked you dinner?" Jess asked.

"Yes, he did, and I helped."

"For how long?" Jess asked.

"Five seconds. He told me to go away after I accidentally cut him with a knife."

" 'Accidentally', use the quotes, babe," Jess said.

"It was! I really did want to help!" She defended herself as she brushed out her hair. "It's not my fault the knife bounced off the sour cream package opening thing and cut his hand!"

"Yeah right!" Jess laughed "I know all of the tricks you and Lorelai use to get out of helping in the kitchen! Me and Luke have the scars to prove it!"

"Hey, it's not our fault the your hands and legs get in the way of our hands!"

"I've learned that when you and Lorelai wield knives, it's better to be five miles out of your way!"

"Mean!" Rory protested as she climbed into her bed and covered herself.

"So you had fun?" He asked turning to look at her as she pulled the covers over her legs.

"Lots." Rory said smiling. "We talked and ate, watched movies."

"No uncomfortable silences?"

"Surprisingly no. You know how when you're just with a person and you can be completely silent for hours on end?"

"Yeah?"

"It's like that with Finn. We can just be watching movies, not saying a word yet know exactly what the other is saying. It's weird, I never had that with Dean. It seemed like we always had to be talking about something. And with Finn it's not that way. I like it."

"I'm glad, Rory," Jess told her patting her leg. "It's nice to see you smile again. Laugh and talk about someone you might really like."

"It was like that in the beginning with Dean. And towards the end, really after our first breakup, we were just..."

"Forced?" Jess supplied.

"That's actually a really good word," Rory nodded.

"Are you happy now, Rory?" Jess asked after a few moments of silence.

"I'm getting there," she said. "I guess I'm still upset over my own stupidity and how I handled the whole Dean thing. I'm still mad at myself for having wasted seven years with someone that I didn't love and didn't love me."

"But?" He prompted.

"But I like Finn and I hope that with time, something might happen between us."

"Like sex-wise?" Jess asked with a raised eyebrow. Rory rolled her eyes and kicked him with her foot through the blankets.

"No. Well…"

"Really?" Jess asked with wide eyes. Sure he always teased her about her virginity and him wanting to take it, but she had always had that romantic view that she was waiting for the right person. The idea that she might have found that person, after being with someone for seven years and even being married, was, in a word, mind-boggling.

Rory sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "You might not want to hear this," she told him, "But Dean made me feel things. Things that I didn't want to feel at the time and just felt wrong."

"He turned you on?" Jess asked, sort of disgusted with the image of anything involving Dean, especially with Rory.

"No," Rory said simply. "Well... No," she gave a quiet laugh. "He made me want to go find that someone. Does that made any sense?"

"A little," Jess nodded.

"When he kissed me or felt me up I guess. It just felt wrong with him. I knew he wasn't the one after a while, but I felt guilty in the fact that I felt this way, so I didn't do anything and always stopped him when things got too far."

"All right."

"But Finn," Rory felt a smile creep its way onto her face and she bit it back. "Now he makes my knees weak with a kiss," she admitted, Jess watched in amusement as a blush crept up to her cheeks.

"I've never heard you talk like this, Ror."

"I've never had the opportunity. This is the first time it's felt like this. No," she corrected quickly with a violent shake of her head. "This is the first time it's felt like this before. I've felt this... emotion before, but it's never been this strong. Finn's different."

"I'm glad, Ror. I hope everything works out for you, guys."

"Thanks, Jess," Rory said. "So while I was out, what did you do?"

"Oh you know, watched some TV, called some people."

"Who'd you call?" Rory asked curious.

"Just people," he said looking away.

"Who?" Rory asked again. He mumbled something and Rory leaned into to hear, her eyes widening a bit. She couldn't have heard correctly. She leaned back and stared at him. "Who?"

"Stephanie." Jess said looking at her.

Rory nodded. "That's why Colin came in ranting about women. Jess, were you talking to her while he was there?"

Jess shrugged. "She said she had someone over, but it didn't matter."

"Jess," Rory groaned.

"What!"

"I told you!"

"You told me that no one was stopping me."

"But I'd rather you didn't!" Rory said. "There was another part to it!"

"I heard you!"

"Well, obviously you didn't if you talked to her! How did you even get her number!"

"Are you really mad at me?" He asked. "You were the one trying to set me up a few days ago! And I have connections!"

Rory rolled her eyes. Connections her ass, the snoop had gone through her phone book. She let that one slide and concentrated on the more important details. "That was different! I wasn't going to set you up with someone that was already claimed!"

"Oh, now you're being sexist," Jess said.

"I'm... what?" Rory glared at him. "Jess!"

"What? If Colin likes her, no one's stopping him from making a move, and no one is stopping me. Now..." he faked a yawn and stretched and got off the bed. "I'm tired and you must be too. 'Night."

"Jess."

"Can't hear you," he said closing her door. "I'm going to bed!"

"Idiot," she muttered as she crawled under her covers and laid her head on the pillow. Fine, no one was stopping him, but she was going to tell Finn about this. Just so he could give a heads up to Colin.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

Finn sat on his bed twirling the card through his finger while looking at his cell phone sitting innocently on his bed. He had been sitting like that since he woke up that morning, arguing with himself over whether to call or not.

What would James have wanted?

Lots of things ran through his mind. But the one that kept popping up was the one that said James would have wanted him to call Angela.

A light knock on his door brought him out of his reverie.

"Yeah?" He asked.

"It's me," Colin said. "Can I come in?"

"Yeah."

Colin opened the door, then closed it silently. "Me and Logan are worried, you've been up for hours and locked yourself in your room. From the looks of it last night, you and Rory hit it off."

"Me and Rory are fine," Finn said, still staring at his phone.

"Are you guys like dating now?"

"I don't know," Finn said looking at the card in his hand, then back at the phone.

"Do you want to date?"

"Colin?" Finn asked, looking up slowly at his friend. Colin saw the eerie calm looming behind Finn's eyes, that was never good.

"Yes?"

"I'm trying to make a very big decision here and you're bothering me, so bugger off!"

"Right, call if you need anything," Colin said leaving Finn's room.

Logan looked at his friend as he waited at the end of the hall for a response.

"What's going on?" Logan asked.

"I don't know. All he said was that he was making a big decision and to leave him alone."

Logan nodded "Well, you know Finn, might as well just leave him alone for now."

Colin nodded as they went and sat on the couch to watch TV.

Finn looked over at the card one more time before sighing and picking up his phone. He opened it up and stared at the numbers before punching them into his phone. He put the phone to his ear, listening to it ring before someone picked up.

"Michaels's residence," a small voice answered.

Finn frowned. "Hello, may I speak to Angela, please?"

"Angela?" The voice sounded far away as it asked. "Mommy? Do you know an Angela?"

"That's me, sweetie," he heard Angela answer.

"Then the phone's for you."

"Thanks, sweetie, go play... Hello?"

"It's Finn."

"Oh," he heard the surprise in her voice. "I didn't actually think you would call."

"Yeah, well, I did," he said, the anger rising.

"Right, cause we're talking and-"

"What did you want to tell me about James?" He asked.

He heard her hesitate before answering. "It's not really something I want to do by phone, Eug... Finn," she caught herself. "If you're not busy, you could come over here for lunch."

Finn cast a glance at his clock, it was eleven forty five. Did he really want to spend his afternoon with his brother's ex-fiancée? A woman that left him when he thought she would stick by him in his time of need? He turned to stare at the wall.

"Finn?" She asked quietly.

"Where?"

"Oh! Um… Right, 1856 Terrace Avenue. It's here in-"

"I know," Finn replied. "I'll be there in a few minutes."

He heard her exhale in relief. "All right, see you in a few."

Without saying goodbye he hung up and stared at his wall. What the hell was he doing? He asked himself before getting up and grabbing his jacket, having already dressed in jeans and a short sleeved shirt. He walked down the hall stuffing his phone in his pocket before putting on his coat.

"Hey stranger," Logan called out as he reached for the door. "Where are you off to?"

"Nowhere." Finn responded before opening the door and leaving.

Colin turned to Logan who shrugged. "Must have been one hell of a decision," Logan said causing Colin to roll his eyes.

"You think he'll be okay?"

"He'll be fine. He's Finn."

"Right, Finn," Colin muttered.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

Finn stared up at the old blue Victorian house and took a deep breath before exhaling slowly. He was really going to talk to her, wasn't he? He got out of the car and walked up to the porch. He grabbed hold of the knocker and knocked three times before letting go and stuffing his hands in his pockets.

The door opened a crack, a little boy's eyes peering at him. Finn looked at the boy.

"Is your mum home?" He asked. The little boy nodded. "Can you get her?" The boy turned and ran off. Finn hoped that he was in search of Angela. A few seconds later the door opened wider and Angela appeared wearing jeans, a button down short sleeved shirt and her hair piled up on her head.

"Hey Finn, come in." He took a look around the neighborhood before walking inside. He looked around. The living room was made up of old-fashioned furniture. Floral patterns covered the couches while modern toys littered the floor. Pictures were all over the fireplace mantel.

He walked over and scanned them. Pictures of Angela, her husband and son were on the mantel, along with some of her parents, another older couple, which he assumed were her husband's parents and some of her son in costumes. He picked one up and looked at it. It was one of her and James hugging each other. He took that picture the day James died.

"Sad day, wasn't it?" She asked from behind him. He put the picture back and shrugged.

"I guess."

Angela bit her lip and gestured to the couch. "Take a seat."

"Thanks," he said sitting down. The little boy stared at him with green eyes that reminded him of his brother.

"I'm glad you decided to come, Finn. I'm glad you decided to call at all."

"Does your husband know I'm here?"

Angela sat down next to her son and nodded. "Yes. He should be home in a few minutes. He usually comes for lunch."

"So what is it you wanted to tell me?"

"Can we wait? I mean if you're not in a rush."

Finn looked at his watch, it was already noon. He didn't have any classes and Rory had told him she wouldn't be home till around four. The guys would probably call to see what he was doing, but other than that... "No, I'm in no rush."

"Great," Angela smiled. "Robbie, you help me with lunch."

Finn frowned. "Robbie?"

Angela looked over at him and nodded. "Yeah. You can follow us to the kitchen if you want."

"I'm fine," Finn said sitting back. Angela nodded as she took her son's hand and led him to the kitchen. Finn stared at the house, clenching and unclenching his fists. She had named her son after his brother. His brother. Sure, it was a shortened version of his brother's middle name, Robert, but it was still his name. He shook his head. He didn't know whether to be confused by the action or angered that she had used the name, or even happy that she cared enough to use the name.

The vibrating cell phone pulled him out of his thoughts. He pulled it out of his pocket and noticed Rory calling. He answered.

"I thought you had class?" He asked.

"Wow, nice greeting."

"Sorry," Finn winced, he hadn't meant to sound rude.

"Are you busy or.."

"No, not busy."

"I just wanted to talk to you real quick. I have class in a few minutes."

"What is it, love?" He asked. She sounded a bit nervous.

"It's just… Jess likes Steph. And I know Colin likes Steph."

Finn nodded. "Right."

"And well, I just... I don't want Jess causing problems between Steph and Colin. I like Colin and I like Steph, they're good friends, and it would suck big time if Jess ruined that because he couldn't keep it in his pants long enough to make it back to Italy."

"Already getting tired of him?" He laughed. He could always count on Rory to make him smile.

"Never," Rory laughed. "I just wanted to let you know. That way you could give Colin heads up."

"Love, they're grown adults."

"I know that," Rory told him. He could almost see her rolling her eyes.

"They can make decisions based on their own lives. Trust me, I don't have a say in who Steph sleeps with and who she doesn't."

"Oh well, I know that," Rory told him in a 'that's-painfully-obvious' tone that had him rolling his eyes. "I just thought you'd want to let Colin know. That way he could find the balls to ask her out."

Finn laughed at the sickly sweet tone she had used. "I'll let Colin know."

"Thank you," her voice dropped to a whisper. "My professor just walked in, I'll talk to you later."

"Bye love," he said.

"Bye Finn." Then she hung up. Finn looked at his phone before hanging it up and putting it back in his pocket. A clearing of a throat had him looking up at the brown-haired tall man from last night. He stood up and looked at the man.

"You must be Finn."

Finn nodded. "Yeah."

"Angela's talked a lot about you and your brother."

"Odd how she's never mentioned anything about you."

The man nodded. "Angie?"

"Bret." She answered as she walked into the living room wiping her hands on a towel. She kissed his cheek. "I see you've met Finn."

"Yeah."

"Finn, this is my husband Bret Michaels. Why don't we go through the kitchen, the food's almost ready."

He followed Angela and Bret into the dining room that was attached to the kitchen. Angela gestured for him to sit and he did. Bret sat at the head of the table, placing himself next to Finn.

"I heard you talking in the living room," Angela said. "Was it the pretty brunette from last night?"

"Not that it's any of your business, but yes."

"Finn," Angela started.

"I came because I want to know this thing about James. Not to share what I've been doing the past five years."

Angela nodded. "If that's what you want."

"It is." Finn nodded. He watched as Robbie brought a plate and set it in front of an empty chair that was next to Bret, then set another next to it. He brought two more plates and walked around the table setting one in front of Finn, then the other in front of Bret who ruffled his hair, causing the boy to smile.

"I hope soup and sandwiches are fine," Angela said setting bowls of soup in front of everyone as Robbie sat down.

Finn nodded. "It's fine."

She down a plate of sandwiches and Finn watched as each person grabbed one before grabbing one himself.

"With the cold weather I thought something warm was in order."

"It's fine, babe," Bret told her, taking her hand in his and squeezing it.

Finn looked down at his alphabet soup and shook his head at the awkwardness that was happening today. He was having lunch with his dead brother's fiancée, she was married, had a five-year-old and he was eating alphabet soup in a _Pirates of the Caribbean_ bowl and a sandwich on a matching Johnny Depp plate.

"Have I told you how glad I am you called?" Angela asked. Finn looked up at her and nodded.

"Yes."

"Right."

Finn looked at the kitchen and noticed the hand-drawn painting on the refrigerator with the kid magnets. James would have wanted him to be nice, even if he didn't mean it. He would have wanted Finn to act nice no matter what.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Her name's Rory."

Angela and Bret looked up at him in surprise. "I met her last night," Angela told him.

"Yeah. I met her a few months ago," he told them. "We became friends."

"And last night was..."Angela prompted hoping to keep him talking.

"It hard to explain," Finn said. "You have to have been in the conversation to understand what last night was. We were laying the ground work."

"What?" Bret asked.

"We were just seeing if we wanted to go on and eventually have a relationship or just stay friends. It's odd," he admitted, smiling at the odd relationship that was forming between them.

"So what'd you guys decide?" Angela asked.

Finn shrugged. "I'm hoping we go forward. We haven't really talked about it."

"So what was that in the living room?" Angela asked. "I heard something about grown adults."

"Different conversation," Finn said, not wanting to delve into that more himself at the moment.

"Oh. So how are Colin and Logan?" Angela asked as she remembered Finn's two best friends.

"They're fine. We live together by Yale."

"I knew you three would stick together."

"Yeah," Finn said, letting the bitterness seep through. "They really stuck by me through thick and thin."

Angela sighed. "All right, I get it."

"Do you?" Finn asked. "Do you really?"

"Yes! God," Angela muttered. "Don't you think I was upset over James dying, Finn?"

"Obviously not if you married the first man you met and got knocked up."

"Angela and I got married last year," Bret told him.

Finn looked over at him. "What?"

Angela nodded. "I married Bret last year."

"But," he pointed to Robbie who was staring at him again with the bright green orbs and a mop of brown hair. Finn stared back, it was as if he was staring at an old picture he had in his room in Australia. Staring at the picture of his brother at the age of five. "Oh god."

"Finn," Angela began.

"He's James's son," Finn said staring at the boy before looking at Angela.

"I'm so sorry," Angela said.

Finn pushed his chair back and stood up. "I have to go."

"Finn, wait!" Angela said standing up too.

Finn shook his head as he left the room and walked out the door, Angela calling after him. Walking out to his car he ran a hand through his hair again and leaned against the door in shock, Angela standing in front of him.

"I'm so sorry, Finn."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Finn asked looking at her. "Five years. I had a nephew, my brother had a son."

"I thought your parents would have told you," Angela admitted.

"My..." Finn made a sound of disbelief. "My parents knew about this?"

"The dinner, Finn, the night James died. Didn't they tell you anything about that night!"

Finn shook his head. "Mum refuses to talk about it and dad... Well, in dad's eyes James screwed up somehow."

"Yeah, he got me pregnant before getting married. Your father was pissed."

"I would assume so," Finn muttered.

"I swear I thought you knew about that night."

"I have to go."

"Finn..."

"I have to go," he said opening the door, then slamming it shut again. "Dammit!" He said kicking the car, causing Angela to wince. "I'll come pick the car up later," he muttered as he walked down the street.

"Finn," Angela said stopping him once more. "I want Robbie to get to know you. You're his uncle."

"Angela," Finn said, "If you had wanted him to know me, you would have told me five years ago." He pulled away and continued walking, pulling out his cell phone after he rounded the corner and made sure he was a safe distance away.

Dialing Logan's number he waited.

"Hey," Logan greeted.

"Hey," Finn said gloomily as he sat down at the curb.

"What's up?"

"Nothing, can you come pick me up?"

"Yeah, where are you?" Logan asked, worried for his friend.

"Terrace Avenue, I'm on the corner."

"Me and Colin are on our way."

"Thanks," Finn muttered as he hung up. A son, his brother had a fucking son. How had he not known about this? How had his parents not told him about this? How had his mum kept the secret so long? So many questions plagued his mind and there was only one person he wanted to go to to share them with.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

**_AN:_** So how many of you can guess that person? lol.

Hope you all enjoyed, I had the chapter planned and the next chapter will be... well, just wait and see lol

Please Review!

Kassandra


	23. A Lovely Visit

_**Part 23: A Lovely Visit **_

Colin drove down the street, putting on the brakes when he saw his friend sitting on the curb, with his head in his hands. Logan got out of the car and went over to him.

"Hey buddy," Logan said sitting down next to him.

"Thanks," Finn muttered starting to get up. Logan pulled him down and signaled for Colin to come out as well.

"What's up?" Logan asked as Colin turned off the car and got out, sitting on Finn's other side.

"Don't want to talk about it," Finn said looking straight ahead and avoiding eye contact with either of them.

"Well, let's run down what we know," Colin said.

"You had a very big decision to make earlier today," Logan told him.

"And you obviously decided to go ahead and do whatever you were deciding on doing and not doing," Colin pointed out.

"You drove wherever it was," Logan said.

"And whatever it is has made you so upset that you had to call for a ride," Colin finished.

"How'd we do?" Logan asked.

Finn stood up, dusted off his pants and sighed. "I need to stop by my parents' house," he said as he walked to the car and got in the back, slumping down like a little boy done wrong.

"Damn," Logan muttered running a hand through his hair. "Something must be really wrong for him to willingly visit his dad."

"Should we take him?" Colin asked.

"I'm afraid of what he'll do if we don't," Logan stated as he got in the car.

Colin sighed and shook his head as he walked to the car. "This is not good."

The ride to Hartford was silent, except for the few looks that Colin and Logan sent Finn that spoke volumes. He was pissed about something, that much was obvious, but it seemed that the closer they got to his parents' house, the madder he got.

The second Colin pulled up to the Rothschild residence, Finn pushed on Logan's seat to get out, but Logan refused to budge.

"Finn, don't do anything stupid."

"Logan," Finn warned.

"Swear you won't do anything stupid. I like your mom, she's the cool one of all our families. And if you go in there and do something stupid that might not get me or Colin invited back, I'm going to be pissed."

"Not as pissed as I'm going to be if you don't move your goddamn seat."

"Logan, move!" Colin said getting out of the car. Logan sighed and opened the door getting out. As soon as he was out of the way, Finn jumped out and went to the front door.

"I've never seen him this pissed," Colin said as they watched from a safe distance as Finn knocked furiously on the door.

Finn pounded on the door repeatedly until the maid opened it.

"Mr-" She didn't get to finish as he pushed the door open and stalked in. He heard Colin and Logan apologizing for his behavior as he barged into the living room.

"Eugene!" He mother greeted. "I didn't know you were going to be here!"

"Where is he?" Finn demanded. Lilly looked at her son and looked towards the office. Without another word Finn turned on his heel and walked towards his father's study.

"Eugene!" Lilly yelled after him. "He has company!"

"Like I really care," he muttered darkly as he barged into his father's office.

"What's the meaning of this!" His father yelled as he stood from the desk. He noticed the three men sitting around it, each with a cigar in one hand and a glass of scotch in the other.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Finn asked.

"Eugene! I have no idea what you're talking about, but you're interrupting a very important meeting!"

"Angela! Why the hell didn't you tell me about her?" Finn yelled. He watched as his father's gaze darkened on his son, then turned to the men.

"Please, excuse us," he said as he grabbed Finn's arm tightly and led him out of the office, closing the door behind him. He pushed his son into the living room where Lilly was standing with Colin and Logan. Letting go he pushed him forward.

"We've taught you better manners than that," Michael Rothschild said with a menacing glare.

"I don't give a damn about manners. You kept something from me, you kept a very large secret from me!"

"About that little slut!" Michael roared.

"Angela loved James, you knew that!" Finn yelled back.

"There was no telling that bastard child was James's," his father replied, crossing his arms.

"It's odd, really it is," Finn said mimicking the stance. "I would have thought you would sing James's praises, for not only marrying young, taking over the family businesses, but also having an heir!"

"It wasn't his!" Michael yelled.

"Did you all of a sudden just not like Angela, was she too perfect to be a Rothschild, dad? Was she everything that maybe you wanted?"

"Eugene!" Lilly said in shock.

"Shut up, boy."

"Or what?" Finn asked.

"Or I'll shut it for you," Michael said taking a step forward.

"Michael, stop!" Lilly demanded. Finn turned to his mother.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked, his tone much softer. "Of all the people I know, I would have thought you would tell me."

"I am so sorry, Eugene."

"Yeah, well, sorry isn't going to bring James back or get rid of the fact that he has a son." He shook his head. "I'm leaving."

"Eugene," Lilly called out. Finn shook his head pushing past his father and slamming the door closed.

Logan looked at Colin who nodded.

"Well," Colin began clapping his hands together, "This has been a lovely visit. We must do this again some time."

Lilly and Michael looked at Colin in disbelief. Logan rolled his eyes.

"We've got to get going. Come on, Colin."

"Right." He followed Logan out of the house to see Finn already in the car, a scowl in place.

"A Finn in a bad mood is never good," Logan said.

"Nope," Colin agreed as they got in the car.

Not only was the car ride back to New Haven silent, but it was tense. Colin and Logan kept silent and their gaze straight ahead, not wanting to set Finn off now that his temper was fully blown. Colin parked in his parking space inside the garage and turned off the car with a sigh, leaning back in his seat.

They sat silently in the car, the only sound was that of Logan's Rolex on his wrist.

"Are we getting out or sitting here all bloody afternoon?" Finn asked. Logan got out and Finn pushed the seat forward getting out himself and slamming the door closed. Colin locked the car and walked on Finn's left as Logan walked on his right.

Logan clapped Finn on his shoulder as they walked into the lobby and towards the elevators, where one was just closing.

"You okay, man?" Logan asked pushing the elevator button. The door opened and they walked in.

"I'll be fine," Finn said as he pushed the ten button.

Colin smirked at him and pushed fourteen. "I think in all your anger you forgot we lived on the fourteenth floor."

"Nope," Finn said as the doors opened on the tenth and he walked out.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

Rory got her door opened just as she heard the elevator ding to admit a person on the tenth floor. She walked in and closed the door behind her. She walked down the hall kicking her shoes off, set her bag on the couch and let out a sigh of ecstasy when her bare feet hit the soft rug on her floor.

She was about to go to her room when she heard someone knock on her door. With a groan she walked to the door, her skirt swishing behind her.

She opened the door and was surprised to find Finn standing in front of her.

"Hey-" she began, but was cut off when he came in and claimed her lips with his. She gave a moan when his tongue found entrance into her mouth and let her eyes flutter close and her arms snake around his neck.

She heard the faint sound when the door clicked close and let him walk her lightly to her room.

"Finn," she whispered as they tumbled on her bed and he moved to her neck, nipping it lightly, before pulling the skin into his mouth. She arched her back and moved her hands to bring his face back and kissed him again, her teeth nibbling lightly on his bottom lip, causing him to groan deep in his throat.

He pulled away again and moved back to her neck, moving lower and lower. When she felt his hand make its way under her shirt, she opened her eyes and tried to sit up.

"Finn," she said, trying to wiggle free, but he was on top of her and too heavy. "Finn," she repeated again. "Stop." His hand stroked her hip and she sighed. "Finn, sweetie, we've got to stop."

He looked up at her, his green orbs making contact with her blues ones before groaning and laying his head on her stomach. She let a sigh of relief pass her lips as she laid back down and stroked his head.

"As much as I like kissing you, Finn-"

"I'm sorry," he murmured against her stomach. "I shouldn't have-"

"Finn, you've got to let me finish," she said. He moved his head so that he was looking at her. "I like kissing you, but taking out whatever frustrations or anger out in making out or sex isn't going to happen. Not with me."

He sat up in surprise "How did you-"

"Woman's intuition," she said with a smile. "And," her hand moved lower to rubbed the area between his shoulder blades, "You are really tense."

He gave a groan and laid down again. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize." She sat up and gave his shoulder a light tap. "Here, move." He sat up enough so that she could move out from under him. "I'm going to get more comfortable. You take off your shirt."

Finn smirked. "I'm not sure we're at that point of our relationship, love."

"Says the man that just tried to feel me up," she said with a roll of her eyes as she grabbed a pair of sweats and a large Yale sweatshirt. "Take the shirt off, I'll be right back."

Finn smirked as she left, but did as she asked, taking his jacket off and putting it at the end of the bed, then pulling his shirt off and putting it with his jacket.

"Did you just get back from school love?" He yelled.

"No!" She yelled back. "I had to work a few hours!" He watched as she walked in and gave a nod. "Very nice," she smiled.

Finn couldn't help but smile back. "I'm glad you approve."

"Of course you are. Now lay on your stomach."

"Why?" He asked suspiciously.

"Trust me, just lay on your stomach."

He once again did as he was told, laying his head on the pillow. He closed his eyes and heard Rory rummaging around one of her drawers.

"Peach or Mango Paradise?" She asked. He turned his head to look at her and frowned.

"What?"

"Just choose one."

"Mango."

"Good choice." She dropped something back into the drawer and walked over to him. "Now tell me if I'm too heavy."

"What are you-" He was cut off when he felt Rory climb on top of him and settle herself on his legs.

"Too heavy?" She asked. He heard a bit of a worry etched in her voice.

"No, perfect," he said truthfully.

"'Kay." He heard her squirt something into her hand, then her hands rub together. He felt the heat of her hands above his back hesitating. "This might be cold," she whispered into his ear.

"It's okay," he said. He assumed she gave a nod when he felt her hands slide onto his back and kneed the tight muscles, a groan emitting from Finn's lips.

"You wanna talk about it?" She asked quietly.

"Not really," he murmured, closing his eyes and enjoying the feel of her hands massaging the knot between his shoulder blades.

"Well, when a guy I really like comes in mad as hell at something and kisses the living daylights out of me, I usually like to know why."

"Guess," he said.

"You're not going to make this easy, are you?"

"Nope."

"Fine." She moved her hands up to his shoulders and massaged. "Does it have to do with Colin and Logan?"

"No."

"Does it have to do with school?"

"No."

"Work… Wait, you don't work," she teased, causing him to crack an eye open to be greeted by her laughing face.

"Ha, ha." He closed his eyes again.

"Fine. Is it about... Steph?"

"No."

"Me?" She said quietly, her hands stopping their movements. He opened his eyes and turned a bit to look at her.

"No," he said firmly. She gave a small nod and he laid back down again. He felt her hesitate before starting up again.

"Fine, obviously you don't want to talk about it."

"And the girl gets it," he said sarcastically.

"And _you_ are in a _very_ nasty mood," she laughed. "Must be something big." She moved her hands lower to work on the muscles on his lower back. Finn groaned. She worked silently until she bit her lip and remembered something, making the connection to Finn.

"Does it have something to do with your mom?" Almost instantly she felt his muscles tense and she cursed. "Sorry."

He turned a bit to look at her. "How'd you know?"

Rory shrugged. "I wasn't supposed to work today, but Jules got sick. I was about to lock up when your mom came in, looking upset about something. When I asked her about it, she said it was nothing and that I could go home and she would lock up. I asked again and she said not to worry, everything would work itself out in good time and to go home and get rest."

Finn sighed and plopped face down on the bed. "Yes."

"You don't have to tell me."

"I will, just not now."

Rory nodded. "All right." She leaned over and grabbed the lotion, squirting a bit more into her hands and started rubbing again. Silently she rubbed his back, wondering what has happened that caused Lilly to be as pale as a ghost, and Finn to come barging into her apartment and kissing her until her knees were weak. Not that she minded the weak knees much. She enjoyed them.

But at this moment it worried her. She felt his breathing even and stopped her hands, looking down at a sleeping Finn. Carefully climbing off of him she grabbed a blanket from her closet and covered him up, so he wouldn't get cold without his shirt on. Pushing his hair out of his eyes, she kissed his forehead before leaving her room and going to the bathroom. She washed her hands free from the mango scented lotion that now covered Finn's back and dried off.

She walked quietly to the living room and grabbed her bag to do what she had planned on doing before Finn had come. She walked into the kitchen, plopping her bag on the counter and walked to the fridge.

Chinese.

"Ugh," Rory said quietly. That had been in there since Paris moved out, which had been weeks ago. She grabbed the containers and threw them away, not bothering to look inside.

Pizza.

"Eh." The pizza was her fall back option or for when she was done studying and watching a movie. Meaning she'd eat it later.

Leftovers from Jess.

"Oh." She grabbed the container and kicked the fridge door closed with her foot. She grabbed a plate, put the leftovers on it and set the timer.

She walked back over to the counter and looked at the phone noticing she had some messages. She pressed Play and listened to them as she took out her books and laptop.

_Rory, this is your grandmother. Now I know you come for Friday night dinner but-_

Rory deleted the message. "I didn't hear it, therefore I do not have to go," she muttered listening to the next one. Knowing her grandmother, she probably wanted Rory to attend some party that would cut into her study time.

_Hey sweets, haven't talked to you in a while. Just wanted to check in, see how things went with the Aussie and all. Call me later, babe._

Rory rolled her eyes. She would call her mother later. She walked over to the microwave after it beeped and got out her food, grabbing a fork and leaning against the counter by the phone.

_Hey Ror, it's me Jules. I know you covered for me today, but I was wondering if you could cover me for the next few days. That damn flu is going around.'_

Rory heard Jules giggle and a man's voice in the background.

_Stop! So yeah, call me back and let me know! Bye. And tell that sexy friend Jess of yours hi!_

Rory shook her head, started the coffeemaker and sat down opening her books. She opened her laptop and brought up the document that held her paper that was due in two days and looked over her notes. She set her fingers on the keys, poised to start typing. Just as her pinky finger hit the 'a' key, a knock on the door interrupted her.

She gave a groan of frustration before getting off her stool, going through the dining room and down the hall to open the door. Logan and Colin stood there.

"Hey," Rory greeted.

"Hey. Finn's here, right?" Logan asked worried.

"Yeah. Do you guys want to come in?" She opened the door wider and let them in, closing the door and leading them to the kitchen.

"He's not here?" Colin stated looking around the empty kitchen.

"How very astute," Rory teased. "You guys want something to drink? I've got beer and water, and am making coffee."

"Beer sounds good," Logan said.

"Water for me," Colin told her. She gave a nod before pulling out the requested drinks and popping the top of the beer bottle, handing them to the guys. She grabbed a mug, poured herself some coffee and sat down gesturing for Colin and Logan to join her.

"Finn's asleep in my room."

"He came here to sleep?" Colin asked.

Rory shook her head. "No, he ended up asleep. He was tense," she shrugged. "I helped him."

"You mean you..." Logan made a crude gesture earning him a glare.

"No, I rubbed his back. Jeez, does everything have to be sex with guys?"

Colin and Logan looked at each other before nodding.

"Yeah, pretty much," Colin said with a laugh.

Rory shook her head. "Pigs."

"You're not like most girls, are you," Logan stated more than asked, tilting his head to look at her.

"Is that supposed to be good or bad?" Rory asked.

"Good, just most girls would be asking what was wrong with Finn," Colin said understanding what Logan meant.

"How do you know I don't already know?" Rory asked.

"It's Finn. He doesn't talk to anyone unless he works through it himself first," Logan pointed out.

"Hey, I've got to get going," Colin said taking a look at his watch. "I have to do some stuff for my dad. Rory, thanks for taking care of Finn."

"It's no problem, Colin," Rory smiled standing up.

He shook his head and gestured for her to sit back down. "Don't worry, I can find my own way out."

"I know you can," Rory said. "I was getting more coffee."

Colin laughed. "See you later, Logan."

"Bye," Logan waved. Rory refilled her cup and sat down closing her laptop. Obviously no matter how much she wanted to finish her work early, she wasn't going to be able to.

She had been staying up late, trying to finish everything on time, barely getting any sleep. While planning her wedding, she had lost her balance of studying, work and free time. Now it seemed like her free time blended with her study time, her work interfered with both. And she felt like collapsing into bed every day. Very rarely did she even make it to her bed.

But with Jess living with her, she would pass out on the couch and wake up in her bed. And for that she was thankful. She didn't have to deal with kinks in her necks and not being able to turn her head ninety degrees during lectures.

"You okay?" Logan asked, tipping back his beer.

Rory sighed. "Tired."

"Really?" Logan asked surprised. "You seem to be the person who has her life and priorities in order."

"I am, I just lost my balance when I was planning my wedding and I still haven't found it."

"Want me to put out an APB on its ass?" Logan teased.

"Shut up," she laughed.

"Couldn't help it."

"I just seem to run my time together, studying with work, work with free time and I can't separate everything yet."

"What about Finn?" Logan asked. "Is he free time or a separate category?"

Rory gave a small chuckle. "Finn is his own category, he's larger than life, he needs a lot of room."

Logan nodded his agreement. "You like him."

"A lot," she admitted with a blush.

"He likes you too. I can tell."

"I'm hoping so. I would hate to think he's going around kissing other girls like that."

Logan looked at her. Her voice was teasing, but the truth behind it was her self-doubt calling. He figured that out about Rory. She had low self-esteem. They had all seen it, from the first moment they met her at Finn's mom's store. They hated that one guy could make such a wonderful woman like her feel so down on herself. But luckily Finn was just the guy to knock some sense into her.

Logan grabbed her hand and smiled. "He's not Dean, Rory."

She looked up at him in surprise, but as she was about to respond, she heard the front door open and slam shut, then Jess's voice.

"No, you idiot!" She heard Jess say as he walked into the kitchen. "I've seen the picture, Frankie, and it's not the right one."

Rory rolled her eyes as Jess grabbed a bottle of water and opened it. Logan looked on, amused at the scene.

"Look, if I don't get that oven, you are all fired and I'm going to find some other idiot to do my bidding, but you want to know the difference? He will be competent! Oh, watch it, Frankie, you're working my last nerve."

"Jess, keep your voice down," Rory told him. He ignored her and paced the kitchen.

"We did?" He asked stopping in the middle of the kitchen. "Well, Frankie, you did the impossible, you restored your mother's good name."

"JESS!" Rory scolded. He smirked at her as he bid good bye to Frankie and kissed her.

"Rory, my love! Sleep with me tonight?" He asked bending down on one knee.

Rory rolled her eyes. "I'm guessing you got your oven?"

"Better!" Jess said standing up. "My liquor license."

"Ah, one more excuse for Italians to drink," Rory said with a roll of her eyes.

"That was cruel, Rory," Jess said as he turned to Logan. "Hey."

"Hey, congrats on the license."

"Thanks," Jess said walking backwards. "I am going to go change."

"Hey, keep quiet going into your room, Finn's asleep."

"Finn?" Jess asked stopping.

"It's a long story," Rory told him. "Just be quiet."

Jess gave a nod as he walked to his room.

"You guys are close, huh?"

Rory nodded. "Jess is like a big protective brother, hates Dean with a passion. He has this tough guy exterior and it shows when you first meet him. He's protective of his family and friends. But once you get to know him, you get his softer side."

"Which side do you like most?" Logan asked curious.

"I like both," she admitted. "I love that he's protective of me. He and Luke were the ones that took care of me when I was younger. And I love his soft side. You know, he bought me a box of tampons and Midol when I was sixteen, at Doose's in our small town when I was having really bad cramps. He got me everything I would need that week and he did it without complaining."

"How 'bout cringing?" Logan asked, cringing himself.

"A bit of cringing," Rory laughed ."But he's sweet like that. I know that when Lexi goes through that stage, he'll be there and do the same. He'll beat up any guy that breaks her heart. He's there when you need to be lifted up."

"Who is?" Jess asked walking back into the kitchen, running a hand through his spiked hair, making it spikier.

"You," Rory said.

"Right. Are you going out tonight?" He asked absently.

"Nope, playing hermit, might call my mom. Why?"

"Then can I borrow the car?"

"Yeah, where are you off to?"

Jess hesitated before looking at her. "I'm going to Stars Hollow."

"Willingly?" Rory asked with a raised eyebrow as she looked up at him from her bag where her keys were.

"Um, yeah. Luke asked if I would help out tonight."

Rory looked him up and down. He was wearing nice black jeans and a dark blue button down shirt. She grabbed his arm and sniffed.

"What the hell are you doing?" Jess asked pulling his arm back.

"You're wearing your nice cologne. You smell too nice to spend your night at Luke's. If you were working at Luke's, you would have just worn jeans and your Metallica T-shirt. Where are you really going?"

"Rory," Jess warned, casting a glace at Logan who wore a smirk on his face.

"Jess."

He glared at her. "I'm going to dinner with my mom and TJ, can I have the keys now?"

She frowned, but nodded, giving him the keys.

"I'm sleeping there," he told her turning and starting his way out. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"That's great, Jess, we can meet for breakfast." She watched as he stopped and turned, his face full of panic.

"You're really going to wake up early to drive to Stars Hollow and have breakfast with me?"

Rory sighed giving in, knowing it was no use. "That's right, you're an early riser. Lunch then?" She watched his face relax and nod.

"Perfect, I'll see you at Luke's at noon." He turned, grabbed his overnight bag and left the apartment.

"You okay?" Logan asked.

Rory nodded. "He lied to me," she said looking up at Logan.

"How do you know?"

"His mom and TJ work at the Renaissance Fair that's in circuit right now. They finish up at the end of the month. They're nowhere near Stars Hollow."

"You know where he's going, don't you?"

Rory nodded. "He's going to Steph's."

Logan looked at her in surprise before sighing. "This next week is going to be interesting."

Rory laughed and held up her coffee mug. "Here here."

Logan laughed and clinked his beer bottle with her coffee mug.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

**_AN:_** I enjoyed writing this chapter. It was mostly dialogue, making it a fast read and I'm sorry for that. But I liked the way I wrote it.

Also barely any Finn and Rory, more in the next chappy!

Want to tell me what you thought? Review!

Kassandra


	24. Communication Works Both Ways

**_Part 24: Communication Works Both Ways_**

Finn woke up with a groan, the smell of mango thick in the air. He sat up and stretched his back and looked around. He wasn't in his room. Hell, he wasn't even in his apartment. Getting up he remembered the events of the day. Angela, James's son, the argument with his parents, Rory, the massage and falling asleep.

He frowned and looked around. If he was in Rory's room, then where was Rory? He walked out of the room and heard her laugh. He found her on the couch, watching TV, the phone to her ear and an empty pizza box lying on the floor next to her foot.

"Well, I have to go..." Rory told the person on the other end. "Yes, Paris, I promise. Now go. It's one in the morning and I'm tired. Yes, I'm fine, I swear. Hey, remember my mom's baby shower is next Saturday? Okay. Bye Paris." Rory hung up and put the phone on the table, turning to place it right and smiling when she saw him.

"Hey sleepy."

"Hi. Hope I didn't put you out," he said walking and sitting at the other end of the couch. Rory sat up and shook her head.

"Nope, I was actually about to go lie down myself. I just had to get Paris off the phone. Her and Doyle are arguing."

"Anything serious?" He asked.

"Nothing make-up sex can't cure," Rory laughed as she got up. "Come on, let's go to bed."

"I'll sleep here, love, I don't want to put you out."

"Finn, this couch is not comfortable. Trust me, I've spent many a night on this couch. I have one screwed up back to prove it. Come on, I trust you."

Finn sighed as he got out. She turned off the TV and closed the pizza box putting it on the coffee table. She took his hand and led him to her room.

"What about Jess?" Finn asked, a bit worried about her best friend knowing he was sleeping in her room.

"One, Jess has no say in who sleeps in my bed with me, and it doesn't happen very often. And second, he's out for the night," she told him placing her cell phone on her nightstand. She took off her robe and put it on the chair with her slippers. Finn watched her move around her room before getting into the bed. She smiled at him. He gave a sigh before closing the door and getting into the bed.

"Are you sure?"

"Finn," she warned.

Too tired to argue he covered himself up and laid down next to her.

"Finn?" She asked. He turned to her and quirked an eyebrow.

"Yeah?"

"What happened today?"

Finn sighed and turned over. "Don't really want to talk about it." Before he could protest, he felt Rory turn him over and straddle his stomach.

"Bull," she said easily. "Logan and Colin told me that you don't tell anyone anything unless you work it out first."

"Well, it's true."

"Hey, I'm letting you sleep in my bed, the least you could do is tell me what's wrong."

"Fine, I'll sleep on the couch," he said turning to get out of the bed. Rory rolled her eyes and pushed on his bare shoulder.

"Finn, a relationship consists of communication. We can't have a good relationship if we don't talk about things that bug us."

Finn sat up and Rory's eyes widened before covering her mouth, realizing what she had just said.

"Is that what we have?" Finn asked removing her hand. "Because if it is, this communication thing works both ways."

"What are you taking about, nothing's been bugging me."

"What about your dad?" Finn asked, remembering how she had stopped talking about him so abruptly.

"Luke?" Rory asked with a frown.

"No, your dad dad."

Rory looked away and got off him. "I think I'll go sleep on the couch."

He grabbed onto her hips and kept her in place. "Like you said, communication."

"My dad is something I don't talk about to anyone, Finn. Not Dean, not Jess, and not Paris. My dad is not a topic of a conversation."

"Well, same goes for today," Finn told her, letting her go.

"Fine." She moved off him and got out of the bed.

"Where are you going?" He asked watching her put on her robe.

"Sleeping in Jess's room. You sleep here." He watched her leave the room and heard Jess's door close. With a groan he laid back down and covered his eyes. The girl was going to be the death of him soon enough.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

Rory turned and looked at the clock. Two thirty. She had been tossing and turning for the last hour and a half, unable to relax herself and go to sleep. She had tried counting sheep, relaxing her muscles starting with her toes and even tried listening to Jess's radio for a while. Nothing worked

Giving up, she got out of bed and cursed Finn for putting her father into her head. She hated thinking about him. She left the room quietly, grabbed the phone from the table in the living room and went to the kitchen dialing her mother's number. She started the coffee and made herself comfortable on the stool, watching the coffee drip.

"Hello?" A gruff voice asked.

"Hi dad, is mom there?"

"Rory?"

"Yeah."

"Just a sec." She heard the bed move, then a grumble. "Lor, Rory's on the phone." The phone was fumbled around until her mother's voice came on the line.

"Rory?"

"Hi mom."

"Sweetie, when I told you to call me later, I didn't mean two thirty in the morning."

"I know, I'm sorry. I just..."

"What's wrong, did the Aussie do something?"

"No. Well, some. Something's bugging him, but he won't tell me what, and I sort of told him the communication was the key in a relationship."

"I didn't know you were in a relationship with him."

"It sort of slipped out."

"Is that what's bugging you?"

"No. He sort of went back and said that communication worked both ways."

"Smart man."

"And asked about my dad."

"What about him?"

"He didn't love me, did he?"

"Rory, Luke loves you very much!"

"No, not Luke. Dad."

"Oh, you mean Chris," Lorelai stated quietly.

"He didn't love me, did he?"

"Rory, Chris adores you. You know that. Or would if you hadn't cut him out."

"I wouldn't have cut him out if he had stayed."

"Rory," Lorelai sighed. "When are you going to understand that Chris wanted to be there for Gigi, he wanted to have that chance he didn't have with you? And if he had stayed when you were sixteen, I wouldn't have gotten together with Luke, we wouldn't have Lexi in our lives and we wouldn't have another on the way."

"Yeah, but-"

"Rory, what me and your dad had... It wasn't love. It was lust. We have the physical attraction down, but even with a job, your father was still irresponsible. We wouldn't have been happy, you, me and Chris. It just wasn't meant to be. Me and Luke were. I'm happy, babe. Chris getting Sherry pregnant was for the best."

"For you," Rory muttered, grabbing a mug and pouring herself a cup of coffee.

"Is that what's bugging you, that he went to go be a father for Gigi."

"A little. He always had the window open to be my father," she started. "But it seemed like the minute he was given the opportunity to be both a father and a husband to us, he left to be that with someone else. It hurts."

"I know, sweets. And I'm sorry that this can of worms got opened for you again. But your dad loves you, maybe you should go and talk to him?"

"No," Rory said quickly.

"Rory."

"No," she said more firmly. "No, I don't want to talk to him, and I don't want to set myself up to have him in my life only to get disappointed again. I've had too much of that lately."

"Rory?"

"Yeah?" She asked taking a sip of the cooling coffee.

"Is that why you pulled away from Dean?"

"What?" She asked with a mixture of surprise and confusion.

"When he told you he loved that first time. Is that why you pulled away? Because you had heard it so many times from your father, but it was always said when he left."

"Mom." Rory sighed.

"Is that why maybe you're afraid to start something with this Aussie guy?"

"He has a name," Rory told her.

"I know, I just like Aussie better."

"I don't know," Rory said answering her mother's question.

"Not everyone is like your father, and not everyone is like Dean. And from what you told me about _Finn,_ he's nothing like them."

"I don't want to risk it."

"Rory, you think that he's not afraid you'll break his heart?

"Mom-"

"Because believe it or not, you have that power."

"No, I don't"

Lorelai laughed. "Wow, the men in your life sure have done a number on you."

"What are you talking about?"

"Ror, you're beautiful, I should know, you came out of me."

"Eww."

"My point is that you're beautiful, smart and any guy would kill to have you. Just because your father wasn't ready to be a dad and Dean screwed his chance up big time, doesn't mean that you're not worthy of being with a guy. Especially with someone with a cute ass like that Aussie."

"Lorelai!"

Rory laughed as Luke's voice sounded through the phone.

"What? You saw it too!" Lorelai accusingly laughed.

"Hang up the phone!"

"Luke! I'm talking with Rory, just a sec."

"One more word about this Aussie and I'm hanging up for you."

"Love?"

Rory looked up and smiled lightly at Finn. She waved him over gesturing him to have the seat across from her.

"Luke! Let me finish telling Rory how pretty she is! Then we can have sex!"

"Mom!" Rory said disgusted.

"Lorelai!" Luke said gruffly.

"Look, both of you be quiet!" Lorelai yelled. "The pregnant lady wants to speak to her only daughter!"

"Mom, you have Lexi," Rory pointed out.

"I said shut up."

"Sorry."

"Luke, you turn over and go back to sleep, ignore my crude comments about the sexy Australian."

Rory watched as Finn smirked and felt her face heat up. Obviously he had heard her mom.

"Rory, listen up."

"Mom, can you lower your voice?"

"No," she said dismissively. "Look, you're worthy of any guy, Rory. Don't let what Dean did or what your father failed to do let you down. I have a feeling the Aussie is more than qualified to take my baby out."

"But-"

"No buts, Rory. How are you ever going to find 'the one' if you're afraid to give your heart to someone? I'm not saying that Finn is 'the one'. But you'll never know if you don't at least give him an inch."

"Don't they usually take a mile?"

"In this case, maybe you want him too. Plus he has a cute ass." Before Rory could respond, the line was filled with her mother's laughter, then it went dead. Rory looked at the phone with a smile as she hung up.

"I didn't mean to wake you." She said looking over at Finn.

"You didn't. I couldn't sleep, I got up to get something to drink."

"Oh, well, I made some coffee," she said getting up and going to the cabinets to get a mug.

"Oh, no, no," he said shaking his head. "Coffee is going to keep me up."

"Really?" Rory shrugged taking the mug down anyway. "Coffee tends to have the opposite affect on me. When needed, of course. It wakes me up in the morning and puts me to sleep at night."

"I know. I've seen you drink it," Finn laughed lightly.

"Well," she said opening another cabinet. "Since you're opposed to coffee this late at night, how about some tea?"

"You have tea?" Finn asked incredulously as he watched her bring down a small box of Twinings Earl Grey.

"Dad makes me have it here," Rory told him as she got out the kettle and filled it with water. "He's against the whole coffee thing, makes him feel better to know I at least have a box in my cabinets"

"That's sweet of him," Finn said with a smile.

Rory shrugged as she put the tea bag in the cup and set it on the stove, waiting for the water to boil, then sat back down. "He's afraid that me and my mom are going to die of cardiac arrest and no one is going to find us till the neighbors start complaining about the smell," Rory laughed. "So he thinks he does his part in lengthening our lives by filling our kitchens with healthy stuff we rarely even touch, let alone look at."

Finn chuckled and fiddled with his hands. Rory shifted in her seat as she took a drink of coffee.

"Finn," she began, but Finn gave her a small smile and interrupted her.

"May I go first?"

"Um… Sure."

"All right," Finn said shifting in his seat and looking at her. "First, I want to apologize about throwing your dad in your face like that. I didn't mean to hurt you like that."

"Oh, I wasn't..."

"Yes, you were," Finn said with a small nod. "You act tough, Rory, and sooner or later you're going to learn that you don't have to act like that all the time, especially around me." She opened her mouth to protest, but he continued before she had a chance to talk. "But that's a subject for another time."

"Finn..."

"Wait, not done, I still have two more points I have to make."

"Do you have a list?" Rory asked.

"No, I should have made one though," Finn teased. "Now to my second point. Earlier you said communication was the key to a relationship."

"I didn't mean..."

"Let me finish," he said sternly. "I think that we should talk about that when I'm not dealing with my own shit and you're more ready for a relationship."

"Me?" She asked.

"Yes, you."

"Says the man that's never had a committed relationship," she pointed out, getting up when the kettle whistled, She poured the water in the mug and carefully walked it back to Finn, turning off the burner and setting it in front of him.

"Yes," he agreed, not offended. "It's true, I've never been fond of commitment. But I think I'd like to give it a try," he said taking a drink of the tea. "But you're still not sure of yourself," he told her. "But that is a conversation for later as well."

"Seems like everything is getting put off till later."

"Yes, well, it's the best I could come up with a two in the morning."

"So what's your next thing?"

"It's the communication thing," Finn said with a sigh, running a hand through his messy hair. "Have you ever had a day so shitty that you just don't want to talk about it to anyone? You went through so much crap that you want to deal with it yourself before burdening someone else with it?"

Rory bit her lip and gave a nod, coming up with several. "Yeah," she whispered.

"Well, that was my day, times ten."

"I'm..."

"Don't say you're sorry, 'cause it had nothing to do with you, love. My family screwed me over and I'm trying to wrap my head about it," he shrugged. "Logan and Colin have known me long enough to leave me alone until I'm ready to talk. It's just the way I deal with things. And I know that you like to talk about things," he said with a smile. "And I like that about you. I like that a lot. But this is one thing that I have to sort out first and deal with myself before I share."

"Do Colin and Logan know what it's about?" Rory asked, drinking the rest of her coffee.

"They might. They were there when I argued with my dad," Finn sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "They might know the basics of it, but not the whole story. And truth be told, I just want to keep the whole story to myself right now. Sort of with you and the deal with your dad."

Rory shrugged. "My dad..." She bit her lip and shook her head. "Messed up. And he did it without realizing the hurt he inflicted."

"That's the basis of it," he told her leaning in. "Right?"

Rory nodded. "Yeah."

"Because the real story," he said, "It hurts too much to talk about it, right? To talk about it to someone who maybe wasn't there to watch the crash."

"Yeah," she agreed.

"Well, this is the same thing," he shrugged. "I want to tell you, don't get me wrong, but I just want to deal with it myself. I'm still in a state of shock. Once I get out of it and start accepting the situation, I'll tell you."

"Whatever it is, I can help you."

He leaned in and kissed her softly. "I know you can, love. But help yourself first, then you can deal with me."

"Finn..."

"You have things you have to deal with as well. You have to see that I'm not Dean. That I will not leave you for some other girl. At least not without telling you first," he teased.

"Finn."

"I'm kidding," he laughed. He sobered instantly when he saw her look down. "I don't want to hurt you. That's the last thing I want to do, but I also don't want you to be expecting me to hurt you. Might not be an expert on relationships, but I do know that's not how they work. You've got to trust me fully like I trust you."

"I do."

"No," he shook his head, "You don't. And I don't take it personally. A lot of people have hurt you in the past and it's hard to trust. Believe me, I know what it feels like. We all do."

"We?"

"Colin, Logan and me. We've all been let down, time and time again by family and supposed friends. But we have each other. We don't trust easily, love."

"Do you..."

"You were the exception," he smiled. "The minute we talked in that coffee shop, I knew that Logan and Colin would like you. And they did. You were accepted very easily in our circle of friends. You were easy to trust. You have kind eyes." He watched her blush and look down. "But," he said causing her to look up, "We all know that you don't accept easily. That you don't open up like we do, and that you don't trust people with a certain aspect of your life. And we accept that as well."

"Why do you do that?" Rory asked resting her hands in her hair and looking down.

"Do what?" He asked confused.

"Read me like that?" She asked quietly.

Finn laughed and leaned back in his chair, drinking the last bit of his tea. "Your eyes, you see everything in them. It's easy to read when you let your guard down every once in a while. I think it's the coffee."

"Coffee, how you've deceived me," she muttered standing up and putting her cup in the sink. She leaned against it facing Finn who was watching her. "It's scary how by just looking at me you know all that."

Finn shrugged. "It's a gift."

Rory snorted. "Right." She ran a hand through her hair and gave a small smile. "You're right, you know. I don't trust easily. But me not trusting you has never been a problem." She raised a hand when he interjected. "Maybe yes, I'm waiting for you to hurt me. Unintentionally, but still. The nagging feeling is still there. And maybe I have to deal with some things before jumping into a relationship again."

"Like?" He prompted.

"Like, let me deal with it first, then I'll tell you," she smiled. "Come on," she laughed as she saw him stifle a yawn behind his hand. "Let's go to bed."

He nodded and was about to take the cup to the sink when she shook her head and gestured for him to leave it. She wrapped an arm around his waist as she led him back to her room. They laid down in the bed and she kicked off her slippers before lying down.

"Night love," Finn said as he turned his back to her.

Rory smiled and closed her eyes. "Night Finn."

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

**_AN:_** I know this is a shorter chapter. I just didn't want to stall this longer than it had to. Now I know most of you are saying 'DAMMIT! I want Finn and Rory to be together!" And I know this, but believe it or not, the convo they just had is a big step in their relationship.

Hope you all enjoyed.

Kassandra


	25. Starting the Road to Recovery

_**Part 25: Starting the Road to Recovery**_

Rory woke with a start, sitting up in bed and looking over at her clock. It read six thirty in big red bold letters.

She groaned. "In the morning?" She asked herself. She heard a noise in the living room and someone curse. Getting out of bed proved more difficult, seeing as Finn had his arm wrapped protectively around her middle. Rory detached it and sighed.

"Not even my boyfriend yet and he's already protective." She muttered getting out of bed, pulling on her robe to see what was going on. Opening her door she saw Jess about to go into his room.

"Hey," Rory said making her presence known. "I thought we were meeting in Stars Hollow for lunch?"

"I changed my mind," Jess said gruffly, rivaling Luke's gruff voice. "Go back to sleep."

"I'm awake," Rory told him with a shrug. "Wanna talk?"

"Not really," Jess said leaning against the door and avoiding her eyes.

"How was dinner at your mom's?"

"You know," Jess shrugged. "TJ."

Rory shook her head. "I hate that you're lying."

"I'm not lying," Jess said, still not meeting her eyes.

"Your mom and TJ are at the fair," Rory told him, crossing her arms over her chest. "I know you were with Steph, so why didn't you just say that? Why did you lie?"

"Rory…" Jess sighed.

"You know how much I hate it when people lie to me, Jess."

"Yeah, go tell Dean that," Jess answered back, making Rory stagger back from the insult.

"Wow," she murmured. "That was..." She bit her lip and gave a small nod.

"I didn't mean it like that."

"Yeah, you did. And worst of all, the one person, besides my mother, that I trusted just used my one mistake against me. Thanks, Jess. Thank you for adding to my insecurities."

"Don't blame me for being the way you are," Jess said.

"What the hell is your problem?" Rory asked. "I have no idea why the hell you're mad at me right now. All I asked was why you were lying to me about where you went last night. And I'm getting yelled at."

"You know," Jess said, "I didn't even want to stay in the States. And you knew. You knew my reasons for not staying, yet you insisted. You insisted on me staying in New Haven for two weeks. Well, you get what you paid for, Rory."

"I'm sorry I wanted to see one of my _best friends_ for longer than a day, Jess. Jeez, I didn't think staying here was so much of a burden."

"Go back to sleep, Rory," Jess ordered, glaring at her before opening his door again. Rory closed her door a bit more for fear of waking Finn up and followed Jess into his room, not realizing that Finn had woken up to the sound of their voices and was sitting up on his elbows, listening worriedly.

"Jess, what the hell is your problem?" Rory asked as she watched him unbutton his shirt.

"Not now, Rory."

"Yes, now."

"When the hell did you grow a backbone?" Jess asked pulling his undershirt off and throwing it in the corner.

"When the hell did you turn into old Jess?" Rory asked. Jess turned and found her looking at the ground, biting her lip.

"Rory," Jess sighed going over to her. She backed away. Jess stopped and turned back around, taking off his pants and throwing them in the corner with his shirt, then getting into bed on his stomach, in only his boxers. He felt Rory still standing there, watching him. He wished she would just leave him alone for a while.

"What happened, Jess? Something went wrong with Steph? What was it?"

"None of your business," Jess muttered against his pillow before turning his head to look at the opposite wall.

"Since when?"

"Since now!" Jess said turning to look at her. "Just leave me alone. I don't want to talk about it. I didn't want to stay here. I told you," he said sitting up and staring at her. "I told you I had no interest in a girl."

"I didn't tell you to fall for Steph!" Rory yelled. "You did that all on your own, so don't you dare try pinning this on me."

"Oh, screw you, Rory!" Jess yelled laying back down and facing the opposite wall on his side.

"Go to hell," she muttered back. Jess winced when she slammed his door closed and gave a sigh of relief. He would apologize later. Right now he needed to clear his head and let what happened last night digest in his head.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

Rory slammed his door closed and walked back to her room, processing what just happened. God, what the hell had just happened? One minute she was asking Jess what was wrong, the next she was telling him to go to hell. Something was definitely wrong. It would probably be better to steer clear from him the rest of the day. She sighed and ran a hand through her hair, turning and finding Finn's green probing her worriedly.

She gave a squeak of surprise and stepped back.

"You all right?" He smirked.

"Surprised, is all. And confused, and hurt, and lots of other things."

"What happened?" He asked, referring to the fight she had just had.

"That's what I've been trying to figure out," she muttered getting back into the bed. "Something happened with Stephanie, I know that much."

Finn kissed the top of her head. "I'll give her a call later today and try to get something out of her."

She felt him get off the bed and looked over at him. "You don't have to leave."

"I should get going," Finn said. "Logan and Colin are probably worried about me. Though they won't admit it."

Rory smiled. "They know you're here."

"I know, but they know what happened."

"Oh."

"I'll tell you," he said reassuringly. "Just let me work it out."

"I know," she said with a small smile as he put his shirt back on, but left it unbuttoned and put his jacket over.

"You, try working on your own problems."

Rory scrunched her nose up, clearly not liking the suggestion, making Finn laugh as he put on his shoes.

"The sooner you get your problems fixed, the sooner we can make this official," Finn reminded her, tying the laces.

Rory laughed and sat up on her elbows. "Are you telling me that all those kisses didn't seal the deal?"

"Nope." He bent down and kissed her softly. "I won't push you to do something you don't want to, I hope you know that."

"I know."

"Just because you don't work out whatever it is with your dad, doesn't mean I'm not going to kiss you. I think I've earned the right by now."

Rory laughed. "I think you stole that right out from under me."

Finn chuckled kissing her again. "Damn right." He straightened and started walking, stopping when Rory called him.

"Finn?"

"Yeah?" He asked turning back to her.

"I'm not the only one with problems with their dad. Maybe you should work on those too?"

"I'll get to those at some point," he said sending her a small smile before walking out of her room. He walked out of the apartment, making sure the door was locked before going up to his own. He leaned against the cool metal of the elevator as it went up, dinging at his floor. Walking slowly, he got the keys out of his jacket pocket and unlocked the door. He walked in and threw his keys on the counter before going to his own room and falling onto the bed fully clothed and staring at the ceiling.

James had a son. God, his brother had always wanted a kid with Angela. He had fallen in love with her from the moment they met freshman year of college. She had hated him and everything he represented. But one date with his brother and her dislike had turned into something more akin to love. Something James promised Finn he would one day find himself.

He couldn't, for the life of him, figure out why his father and James would have argued about Angela being pregnant. According to James that day, they had wanted a short engagement, saying that they had wanted to have the wedding, right after James had graduated, which had been two months after they had announced their engagement.

So the fact that Angela was pregnant shouldn't have been a factor in them arguing. In fact, it worked out perfectly. For his father anyway. James could have graduated, gotten married, gone on his honeymoon, come back and take over for his father, then Angela would have had the baby. It was perfect. So why the hell had they argued?

At this moment, he regretted going out for drinks with Colin and Logan. He regretted not being there to hear the news of Angela being pregnant, he regretted not being able to stop his father from starting whatever argument they had had. And what he regretted most was not trying harder to stop James from getting into his car and driving off.

He squeezed his eyes shut, covering them with his hands, hoping to stop the tears from coming. He hadn't cried at James funeral, why start now? He kicked off his shoes and covered himself with his blankets, hoping he would sleep soon and without the vivid dreams of James leaving.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

Rory dressed in her jeans and a red turtleneck. Pulling on her boots, she grabbed her jacket and scarf and walked out into the living room where Jess was watching TV. She pulled on her jacket and wrapped the scarf around her neck.

"I'm going out," she said briskly as she put her cell phone and wallet into her purse.

"Fine," Jess nodded. "When are you getting back?"

"When I get back," she replied.

"Rory," Jess started.

"Not now. You didn't want to talk earlier, I don't want to talk now. I've got things to do."

"Fine. Bye."

"Bye," Rory muttered walking out the door. She walked to the elevators and pressed for the lobby, not quite sure of what she was about to do.

It wasn't that her father was a bad man, it was the fact that he never really took responsibility for her. The one time they were going to be a family and she was finally going to have a mother and a father, her father had rejected them to be with another woman and have a little girl with her.

Then Gigi came along. And Rory had been on the way to the delivery room when her father had rushed in to see her be born. According to the stories her mother had told her about her own birth, she had had to go through it by herself, with no one holding her hand, and no one coaching her along, only the ice chips that she had pelted at the nurses by her side.

Yet her father had come to aid this woman that Rory knew practically nothing about, and had loved Gigi the moment he had laid eyes on her. When with Rory, he had been too young and naive to even comprehend that he had had a hand in making her. Let alone the capability of raising her.

Rory walked out to her car and got in, still mulling over her thoughts as she made her way out of Hartford and willingly towards Boston.

When she was little, she had gotten used to only having her mother in her life 24/7, but growing older, though she had never voiced her concern, she often wondered why her father never saw her as often. Or why he only called when he felt the need. Or why he always seemed to forget birthdays, but called a month later.

Then when she had moved into Yale, it was Luke who had moved her into her first dorm room. He was the one that had slipped twenty dollars into her jacket pocket after hugging her good bye, he was the one that fed her in the morning when she went to Stars Hollow. He was the one that moved her out of the dorms and back in with her mother. He had been the one to walk her down the aisle and give her away.

Luke had been the one that had fed her mashed potatoes when she had the chicken pox, he was the one that gave her a little sister, and soon another little sibling, but still loved her, even though she wasn't his own. Luke had been the one to love her unconditionally, and even beat up her ex-husband. He had let her finish her homework at the diner, kicking all others out for loitering, but letting her take up as much room on the counter as she wanted. He had been the one that she automatically referred to as Dad.

Because when she added everything her real father had done for her and what Luke had done for her, Luke had had more a hand at raising her and being her father than her real father had.

Finn had been right, she needed closure. She couldn't have her dad popping in and out of her life to make promises, get her hopes up and just leave without following through. She was tired of counting on him and expecting him to call. She was just tired.

She reached Boston in record time, parking in front of the apartment building her father lived in with his wife Sherry and daughter Gigi. She sat in her car staring at the building for a good five minutes before getting out and making her ways towards it. Slowly, not wanting to rush the moment. She had waited long enough to do it, a few more minutes wouldn't hurt.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

_"Here's your stop," Logan said pulling up in front of the Rothschild mansion._

_Finn groaned as he looked up at the gigantic house. "The only good thing about staying here this summer is Angie and James."_

"_And us!" Colin piped in._

_Finn laughed before getting out of he car. "You keep thinking that, Colin," he said closing the car and slapping the hood with the palm of his hand to signal Logan could go. Logan gave a wave and headed out of the driveway. With a sigh, Finn turned towards the house and walked forward opening the door and walking in._

"_I love her!" He heard James yell. "You can't tell me what to do anymore! You can't tell me, or Finn, what to do anymore!"_

"_You can't speak to me this way. I'm your father!"_

"_Some father you are!" He walked toward the office just in time to see James staking out and his father slamming the door._

"_James, we aren't done here!"_

"_Screw you!" James yelled leaving the house. Finn turned and went after him._

"_Hey James, wait up."_

"_Not now, Finn," James said getting in his car._

"_What the bloody hell is going on?"_

"_I said not now, Finn," James bit out slamming the door closed. The car came to life and roared out of the driveway leaving Finn alone once again in the driveway._

Finn woke up with a start, looking over at his clock. He groaned and fell back onto the bed closing his eyes. This wasn't going to stop bugging him until he found out just what James and their father had argued about. Just what had driven James to leave the house and completely forget about his fiancée and an unborn child.

Finn sighed and got out of bed. He was about to walk out of his room when he decided against it and grabbed a clean pair of boxers and his towel heading for the bathroom. After taking his shower and changing into clean clothes, he grabbed his keys and went out to the living room where Logan and Colin were watching TV.

"I need a ride," he announced.

"Where to?" Logan asked.

"To pick up my car," he said as if it were obvious.

"Are you sure about that, buddy?" Colin asked.

"I need my car. I want to take Rory to dinner tonight and I need my car to take her."

"You could always take her car," Logan pointed out.

"Jess takes her car. Look, if one of you jackasses is going to take me to my car, do so now because I have things to do. If not, then I'll take a fucking bus."

"He's back," Colin muttered as Logan stood up with a sigh.

"I'll take you."

"I'll meet you in the lobby," Finn said grabbing his jacket and leaving.

"Think he'll talk about it?" Colin asked.

Logan shrugged as he put on his own jacket. "You know Finn, he'll talk about it when he feels like it. And I have a feeling that we're not the first people he's going to go to," Logan said pocketing his cell phone.

"Why not?" Colin asked confused.

Logan shrugged. "He has Rory now." He opened the door. "I'll be back later."

"All right," Colin said sitting back against the couch. It was true, Finn really had no more use for him or Logan now that he had Rory. They were good for drinks and teasing, but Finn had always talked and ranted to them about his bastard of a father. And now… well, Rory was there to hear him rant.

Colin shrugged, he wasn't much of a comforter anyway. Logan was the one who calmed Finn down. All he did was hand Finn the drink. Now that he thought about it, Finn didn't seem to be drinking much anymore. Maybe that was a good thing.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

Logan walked over to where Finn was sitting impatiently and signaled for Finn to follow him.

"'Bout bloody time," Finn muttered as they walked to Logan's car.

"Sorry, talking to Colin," Logan said getting in and starting the car as Finn buckled his seatbelt.

"Bunch of girls is what you are."

Logan smirked as he backed out and started towards where they had picked Finn up the day before. "Hey, you want to talk about it?"

He heard Finn sigh. 'Thanks, but no."

"Going to tell Rory first?"

Finn shrugged. "I need to figure this out on my own before I tell anyone."

"Is it okay with Rory?" Logan asked curious as to what Rory thought about her semi- boyfriend keeping things from her.

"She has her own things to deal with. She doesn't need my problems to add to hers."

"All right. So what happened last night?" Logan asked changing the topic.

"It was good. Rory really helped."

"I'm glad."

"She got in a fight with Jess this morning though."

"About what?"

"Steph."

Logan frowned. "What about her?"

"I don't know. All I know is that something happened between her and Jess, and when Rory asked about it, it ended with her telling Jess to go to hell."

"That was one hell of a fight."

"Yeah, you weren't there to hear it. I told Rory that I would call Steph and maybe have lunch with her, try to pry some information from our blonde friend."

"Good luck with that," Logan said parking in front of Finn's car.

"Thanks," Finn laughed. "And thanks for the ride."

"Anytime."

"See you back at the apartment?"

"Nah," Logan said. "I'm out for tonight."

"That's the fourth night this week," Finn said frowning, looking at the rearview mirror to make sure no cars were coming.

"Yeah, well, you know the girls."

"Yeah," Finn nodded. "But I know that no man in his right mind would expose himself to that much sex in four days without getting worried about catching something."

Logan laughed. "This from the man who hasn't had sex in at least two months."

Finn shook his head. "Yeah, but at least I know that when I do have sex, the waiting will be worth it."

Logan frowned checking the mirror. "You're not just with Rory to take her virginity, are you."

"Yeah, 'cause I'm my father," Finn said rolling his eyes and opening the door carefully as to not hit his own car.

"Finn-" Logan warned.

"I'm not, Logan," Finn said getting out and bending down to talk to his friend. "I swear, Rory being a virgin is probably the last thing I think about when I'm with her."

"All right, see you later."

"Bye," Finn said closing the door. He watched Logan drive off before leaning against his car and pulling out his cell phone and dialing.

"What?" Stephanie snapped upon answering her phone.

"Wow, is that the way you greet your Australian best friend?"

"It is when you have pent-up sexual frustration because of some insufferable Italian idiot."

"Ah, Jess."

"Yes, Jess."

"How 'bout we get together for lunch and you can tell big brother Finn all about it."

Stephanie gave a sigh before answering. "Around one."

"The usual place," Finn confirmed.

"And Finn..."

"Yeah?"

"No telling Rory about anything we talk about."

Finn sighed. "I can't do that, Steph. Rory lives with Jess, she wants to know what happened last night and... well…"

"She can get whatever happened last night form the bastard himself."

Finn gave a nod. "Fine, I'll let her know, word for word."

"Thanks, see you at one."

Finn hung up his phone stuffing it back in his pocket and grabbed his keys to unlock the door. He pulled the door open and put one leg in, ready to get in when the front door to Angela's house opened and Robbie came running out with a smile, instantly stopping and sobering upon seeing Finn.

"Robbie, wait!" Angela laughed coming out of the house and closing the door. She reached the front steps only to stop when she saw Finn.

"Finn," she said.

Finn gave a sigh. Looked like he was facing his demons today, he thought before getting out of the car and closing the door, making his way up to his nephew.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

Rory had been staring at the door for good five minutes, still not sure about what she was about to do. She took a deep breath closing her eyes tight before opening them and knocking on the door.

Too late now, she thought as she heard footsteps rushing towards the door. A few seconds later the door opened to reveal the very pregnant blonde that had replaced her and her mother.

"Rory?"

"Hi Sherry."

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

**_AN:_** I am so sorry for the delay. I had a really big block for this story, I knew how I wanted it to end and how I wanted the next chapter to go, but I couldn't for the life of me get this chapter out.

It wasn't until Monday night when I was talking to my beta that I finally was able to pass the part I had written and pull this out.

So again, I'm sorry for all you guys that waited for it. I know this was supposed to be up at least two weeks ago. I'm hoping the next chapter and the chapters after that won't give me trouble.

Hope you enjoyed and that this chapter was worth the wait!

Please review

Kassandra


	26. Out in the Open

_**Part 26: Out In the Open **_

"Would you like to come in?" Sherry asked opening the door wider.

Rory hesitated before walking in. "Thanks."

"I'm surprised to see you here," Sherry admitted, closing the door and walking into the apartment, Rory following her, "Seeing as you were so opposed to your father and me."

Rory nodded. "I was eighteen, I'm sorry for the things I said."

"But you don't regret them," Sherry added.

"No, I don't." Rory said with a shrug.

Sherry gave a curt nod. "Have a seat." Rory thanked her and moved to sit on the couch. "Chris got off work a few minutes ago, but he picks up Gigi, then comes home. He should be a few more minutes."

"Thanks."

"Would you like some tea?"

"Coffee?" Rory asked.

"Coming up."

"Sherry, sit down, I can make it," Rory said standing up.

"Don't worry about it, Rory, I'm pregnant, not incapable of walking," Sherry said walking into the kitchen and leaving Rory alone. Rory sat back down and took off her coat, putting it at her side. She took a deep breath and expelled it slowly.

She hoped this would make her feel better in the long run and not make her feel like crap, like the last time she had voiced her feelings to her father at eighteen. She shook her head to forget the memory.

"So I hear you're married," Sherry said coming in with the cup of coffee and handing it to Rory before carefully sitting down in the armchair next to the couch.

"I was."

"Was?" Sherry asked confused. Rory gave a nod, not really wanting to explain her relationship with Dean with this woman.

"Mommy!" She heard a little blonde girl cry as she latched herself onto Sherry.

"Hey Gigi," Sherry said kissing the top of her head. Gigi was a blonde, brown eyed five-year-old who looked more like her dad than Rory ever had.

"Hey sweetie," Chris greeted kissing Sherry. He looked up and saw his twenty-two-year-old daughter sitting on the couch. "Rory?"

"Hey dad" Rory greeted.

"I didn't know you were coming. Sherry, did you...?"

"No, she just came a few minutes ago," Sherry said, then looked down at Gigi who was looking at Rory with shy eyes. "Come on, Gigi, let's go to your room. We'll get you out of those clothes and get started on your homework."

"Okay," Gigi whispered. Chris helped Sherry out of the chair and watch them go to Gigi's room.

"I thought you weren't talking to me," Chris said sitting down in the unoccupied chair.

Rory shrugged. "I'm not."

"Then why are you here?" Chris asked somewhat coldly. Not that Rory was surprised at the emotion. They hadn't exactly parted on good terms the last time they had talked.

"Wow, dad, why don't you tell me how you really feel?"

"Rory, you were the one that cut me out of your life when I married Sherry. You were the one that made a scene at our rehearsal dinner. You were the one that stopped all the calls. So why the sudden change of heart?"

"Believe me, dad, this isn't a change of heart," Rory told him bitterly as she set down the coffee mug. "Do you want the truth or the answer I prepared in the car?"

"The truth would be better."

"Fine," Rory nodded. "I like this guy. He's been really great to me for the past two months. He's…" Rory bit her lip and thought of a word that described Finn and couldn't find one. "He's indescribable. And we really want to start something."

"I thought you were married?" Chris frowned.

"We'll get to that later," Rory told him, then got back to her explanation. "The thing is, as much as he wants to be with me, he says I have trust issues as well as a fear of rejection. And that before he starts dating me, he wants me to deal with these issues. He needs me to trust him unconditionally without the fear of him leaving me."

"All right, how do I come into it?"

Rory gave a bitter chuckle. "Don't you understand, dad, you're the one that started all of this."

Chris looked at her in disbelief.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

"Hey," Finn said bending down to look at Robbie. He saw the shy green eyes look at him before turning and running to Angela.

"He's shy," Angela said putting a hand on Robbie's back as he hid behind her leg. Finn stood up straight and walked over to them. "He doesn't talk to anyone he doesn't know, and it takes him a while to open up to people."

"So he gets that from you," Finn teased, remembering when he had first met Angela and how quiet and shy she had been. She hadn't had a real conversation with him until a year after her and James had been together and it had taken him so by surprise to hear her talk that he had jumped.

Angela nodded as she sat on the porch. Finn took a place next to her as Robbie stood behind her, hiding.

"Yes, he does," Angela admitted. "I think if James had been here, he would have ended up differently, but we'll never know."

Finn nodded. "So he knows?"

"That you're his uncle?" Angela asked. "Yeah, I told him from the beginning, right hun?"

Robbie gave a nod, then hid his face in Angela's neck. She laughed and hugged him closer, setting him down in her lap.

"Are you still mad at me?" Angela asked.

"Pissed as hell," Finn admitted. "You should have told me."

"I couldn't," Angela said.

"Why not? You were like a sister to me. It hurt so much when you looked at me that day of James funeral with such distance, as if you had never known me at all."

"You have no idea how much it hurt me to do that, Finn," Angela sighed and got Robbie to detach his arms. "Baby, why don't you go play?"

"Are we still going to the park?" He whispered.

Angela nodded. "Yeah, but I want to talk to your uncle Finn first."

Robbie bit his lip, but let go and went to the lawn to play with some toy he had left there in the morning.

"Why couldn't you tell me?" Finn asked again.

Angela turned to him. "Your parents really didn't tell you any of this?"

"James is a bit of taboo at our home. Mum gets depressed when someone says anything about him and dad gets pissed."

"We were going to tell you that I was pregnant when we went out for coffee that afternoon, but James said that he'd rather wait and say something at dinner."

"But I went off with Colin and Logan." Finn supplied

Angela nodded. "We were hoping that you would be back on time to have dinner with us, but you weren't. James said that we'd hold out until you came, but you didn't, so we just told your parents."

"What happened?"

"I have no idea. You mother was ecstatic. Jeez, Lilly had always loved us and the fact that we were going to give her a grandchild... Well, hell, that just sealed the deal for her. But your father got mad. I have no idea why though. I thought he had liked me and I thought that with me and James not only getting married but having a baby, it would make him happy. I have no idea what made him react the way he did."

"What happened?" Finn asked again.

"He started yelling at James which got James pissed. You know how his temper flared."

Finn knew all too well the temper his older brother had had. Which was why he never provoked him.

"Your father and James went into the study and yelled more while your mother and I just sat at the dinner table like idiots. That's when you came in."

Finn nodded. "No one would tell me what happened. James left and came back a while later for you, then mum went upstairs and dad stayed in the study."

"James left me off at the apartment and two hours later you called with the news that he was in the hospital," Angela said.

Finn nodded, "That still doesn't explain why you didn't tell me or why you treated me so coldly at the funeral."

Angela took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "I went to the funeral ready to tell you, Finn. I had the feeling your father wasn't going to say anything and your mother was so devastated that I don't think she had the time to even say anything. But after the funeral, I was walking up to you when your father held me back."

"He said something to you," Finn stated.

"He paid me off," Angela whispered.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

"Excuse me?" Chris asked. "How is this all my fault?"

"Dad, you were in and out of my life. Coming and going when you pleased. You would build up my trust just to fail me. You dropped me and mom after promising us to be a family for another woman, god, dad, you started all of this."

"Rory, you can't blame all this on me."

"No," Rory said with a nod. "I can't because I also know that the other part is Dean's fault and the rest is mine, but face it, dad, you started all of this."

"You can't put that kind of guilt on my shoulders, kid."

"Yeah, actually I can," Rory said. "I know I cut you out of my life, dad. And I understand that hurt. But if you remember correctly, about three months ago I reached out."

"Rory," Chris sighed.

"I asked if you would walk me down the aisle. I asked you to give me away. I asked you to be a part of my wedding."

"Look-"

"And you said you were honored, you would definitely be there. The day of my wedding, I got woken up by mom telling me that something came up and you wouldn't be able to make it. What happened, dad? What was so important that you couldn't make it to your daughter's wedding!"

"Gigi had a ..."

"Of course," Rory nodded. "Well, in the long run I guess it's fine that you missed it, seeing as me and Dean got divorced two months ago."

"I'm really sorry."

Rory shook her head. "Don't be." She took a deep breath. "You have no idea what it's like to have you as a father. As harsh as that may sound, it's true, dad. You have no idea how many nights you've caused both me and mom to cry ourselves to sleep because of your broken promises. Did you know that I constantly think that I did something wrong? That it was me that made you not love me or mom?"

"I love you and your mom very much, Rory, you can't doubt that."

"No," Rory said, "You don't. If you did, you would have come to mom's wedding, you would have come to mine, you would have been sitting with mom as a friend as I signed my divorce papers. You would have been there when mom had Lexi. You don't love us. Not like you love Sherry and Gigi."

"Rory, you have to understand that Sherry and Gigi are my life now."

"Yeah, and you have to understand that I'm still your daughter." Rory stood up. "But I'm done," she shrugged. "I'm done being your daughter. You have no more responsibilities concerning me. 'Cause god knows you never owned up to them anyway," Rory muttered gathering her things.

"Wait just a minute. You can't just come here and say all these things and not expect me to defend myself, Rory," Chris said standing up.

"Fine," Rory said. "Go ahead."

"I love you and your mom, you can't ever doubt that. But your mother and I never had good timing. Now that doesn't excuse how I've treated you in the past. I regret missing your wedding, Rory. You have no idea how many things I regret when it comes to the part I took in your life. I messed up royally with you. Which is why I'm trying to fix things with Gigi. I'm being a dad, Rory, a damn good one. I understand that you're mad as hell, but I love you, kid."

Rory nodded. "You know, I sit here and I listen, and all I hear is crap," Rory shrugged. "I'm tired of waiting for you to call, I'm tired of you making promises and breaking them. I'm done. I'm done relying on you."

"So you're cutting me off to be with some guy?" Chris asked in disbelief.

"No," Rory said. "Finn actually wanted me to work things out with you, but the way I see it is that if I try and work things out with you, the more chances I have of getting hurt by you, the more fear I have of getting left behind, the more fear I have in trusting people. And frankly, dad, I don't want you to have that power over me anymore." Rory stood up and put on her coat. "Thank Sherry for the coffee for me."

Chris sighed as she walked past him. "Hey Rory?"

"Yeah?" Rory asked as she stopped and turned to face her father.

"Do you think we'll ever have a relationship like the one we had when you were a kid?"

"No, because we've never had a relationship, dad," Rory answered truthfully before turning and leaving. Chris winced when he heard the door close quietly. He would have preferred it to slam, to have some sign that Rory was upset over this. But the eerie calm unnerved him, that she had been so at peace with her not wanting him in her life anymore.

"Chris?" Sherry asked.

"I really messed up with Rory, didn't I?" Chris asked quietly.

"You were young, Chris," Sherry soothed.

"That's not an excuse though. She was right. She's my daughter and I didn't treat her as one." Chris shook his head. "I missed my daughter's wedding because Gigi had a doctor's appointment," he scoffed. "A doctor's appointment."

Sherry watched as her husband started straight ahead, racked with guilt. She hated her stepdaughter for making him feel this way. For making him feel like such a horrible father when he was doing such a great job with Gigi. She knew that Chris would always love his first born along with her mother and there was nothing Sherry could do about it, no matter how hard she tried.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

"Excuse me?" Finn asked, not quite believing what he had just heard. Had Angela just said his father had paid her off?

"You have to understand it from my point of view, Finn," Angela said. "My parents weren't going to support me, my fiancé died leaving me pregnant. That has scandal written all over it. No matter how much they loved James, they weren't going to sully their name by supporting their pregnant college daughter. So they disowned me and that meant that all my money went bye-bye." Angela shook her head. "And your father knew it. He paid me a lot of money. A lot. I was going to be a single parent, I needed the money. I had to get through college and support my son."

"So what happened?"

"I agreed to take the money. But as I was walking towards you, he stopped me. He said that in my taking the money that meant that I had to break all ties with his family. Which meant no contact with Lilly or you. I hate that I did it, Finn, I loved you so much, you were my little brother. But I don't regret it, not one minute of it."

Finn nodded in understanding. "I get it."

Angela looked at her son as he played with a Tonka truck, dragging his knees on the grass, pushing his truck and getting grass spots on his jeans. Those were going to be hell to get out, she thought with a small smile.

"I knew you would," Angela said looking back at Finn. "If you're wondering what happened to the money, I used some of it to buy an apartment near campus so I could continue going to school. Me and Robbie lived well off at first, it was only emergency money.But when I graduated and got a good job, I put it in a college fund for Robbie and havn't touched it since."

"Angela, I get it," Finn said. "You don't have to explain yourself to me. I don't care how you used the money. You were protecting your son. My nephew," Finn smiled and shook his head. "Jeez, James would have made a hell of a father."

Angela smiled and put an arm around his shoulder. "Yes, he would have. Never doubt my love for your brother, Finn, I loved James with all my heart."

"I never doubted that, Angela."

Angela kissed his cheek. "I missed you, Finny."

"I know," Finn answered smugly, causing her to laugh.

"Same old Finn," Angela sighed.

"So how'd you meet your husband? Brad?"

"Bret," Angela corrected, knowing Finn had messed up his name on purpose. "And he was picking up his little sister. I work down at the high school as an English teacher. His sister had my class. He came in one day to yell at me for a bad grade I gave her in her term paper and ended up asking me out."

"How... odd."

"It was sweet," Angela said.

"You love him?" Finn asked.

"Very much. Don't get me wrong, I will always love James and Bret knows it. He understands. He knows everything too, he knows about the money and about your family and he's okay with it. And I love him more for that. I love him for letting me keep a picture of James in the living room and in Robbie's room. He's never once had a problem with it."

"He sounds like a good guy."

"He is."

"Not as good as James though."

"You're biased," Angela laughed. "Now tell me about this girl. Rory, was it? What's going on with her?"

Finn shrugged and ran a hand through his hair. "I like her, a lot more than I probably should."

"Why's that?" Angela asked confused.

"I don't deserve a girl like her. Hell, in our group I'm the second most unlikely to become committed and here I am, chasing after commitment with this wonderfully intelligent and beautiful goddess of a woman."

"Wow, you really like her."

Finn nodded. "Yeah, I do."

"I'd love to meet her," Angela hedged, causing Finn to look at her.

"I'd love for her to meet you," Finn admitted.

Angela smiled. Finn might still be mad at her, but this was a start.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

Rory walked into her apartment and closed the door behind her, walking into the living room to see Jess lying on the couch, still watching movies. Forgetting about their fight, Rory gestured for him to move his head, which he did, and sat down at the end of the couch, taking off her jacket and letting him rest his head on her lap using it as a pillow.

"Fight over?" Jess asked.

"Fight over," Rory agreed. "Want to talk about it now?"

"Steph... Italy... Me," she heard Jess mutter.

"What?" Rory asked confused.

"I... Steph... Move... Italy... Me."

Rory blinked, still not hearing the whole thing, but getting the gist of it, hoping it wasn't what she thought it was. She asked Jess to repeat himself once more time.

Jess sighed and turned his head to look at her. "I. Asked. Steph. To. Move. To. Italy. With. Me," Jess said saying each word slowly and carefully to make sure she heard it.

"You what!" Rory asked looking at him in disbelief.

"I'm an idiot," Jess groaned. "She was so pissed."

"Well yeah!" Rory said. "You asked her to move in with you in a different country after only knowing her for less than a week! Jesus, Jess!"

"Don't make me feel stupider than I feel right now, 'cause let me tell you, after she pretty much kicked me out of her place, I reran the conversation in my head and felt like a total idiot. Apparently I'm only good for a good fuck."

"Oh Jess."

"Don't pity me," Jess said turning his head. "I feel bad enough for myself and don't need another person to do the same."

"Okay, I have an idea. I'm going to put on my pajamas and we'll wallow, and I'll tell you about my day," she said patting his forehead, signaling him to move.

"Sounds like fun," Jess said clapping his hands in mock enthusiasm.

"Yeah, I thought so too," Rory laughed kissing his cheek and moving off the couch.

"I prefer that little red number you have in your underwear drawer. I think that'll cheer me right up," Jess yelled to her as she went to her room

"Then it looks like you'll be staying in the pool of self-pity for a while longer 'cause there's no chance in hell I'm putting that one," Rory yelled back, hearing him laugh.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

Finn walked into the small coffee shop with a smile and scanned it for his blonde friend. Eyeing her in the corner back table, drinking coffee and people watching out the front window, he walked over to her.

"Hey," Finn said.

"You're a half an hour late," Steph said.

"I know. I'm sorry," Finn said. The waitress walked over to them, setting down a place for Finn and asking their orders. They gave their orders and she walked away again.

"Where were you?"

"I was just talking with an old friend," Finn said with a shrug. "So what's going on with you and Jess?"

Steph shook her head in disbelief. "I've known him a week, less than that," she pointed out. "I've slept with him countless times."

Finn winced. "I don't need to hear that."

Steph waved him off. "I didn't need to hear about your redheads, but I deal."

Finn nodded. "Fine, so what happened?"

"He was over at my place last night and we were eating when all of a sudden he asks me to move in with him."

Finn frowned. "Doesn't he live in Italy?"

"Exactly," Steph said. "I told him that I couldn't just drop everything I had going to move in with him, plus I didn't know him well enough."

"And..." Finn prompted knowing there was more to it.

"And I might have added that I liked Colin."

"Oh Steph," Finn said, pity lacing his voice. "And he took it to mean that you were using him?"

"Yeah," Steph said. "Then he got mad and I kicked him out. So now you have a sexually frustrated blonde on your hands. Not to mention this blonde might like her best friend." Steph dropped her head on the table. "I hate this."

"Do you like Jess?" Finn asked.

"Yes."

"And you like Colin?"

"Yes."

"Then, my dear, you are what we like to call royally screwed," Finn laughed. Steph lifted her head to glare at him.

"Thank you, _Dr. Phil_," she said vehemently as their food came.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

"Jess! Let me go!" Rory screamed laughingly as he pinned her to the couch with one hand and tickled her with the other.

"Not until you take it back," Jess said tickling her hip where he knew she was most ticklish. She gave a yelp and started wiggling beneath him.

"Jess!" Rory laughed. "Get off!"

"Maybe later," Jess leered.

"You idiot!"

They went silent when they heard someone knocking on the door. Rory wiggled underneath him.

"Jess, let go, I have to answer the door."

"No, you don't," he turned. "It's open!" He yelled, then turned back to Rory. "Now take it back."

"Dammit, let me go!"

"Rory?" They turned and saw Finn standing at the entrance of the living room with an amused expression on his face.

"Hi Finn." Then she turned to Jess. "Let me go now!"

"Not until you take it back."

Rory glared at him before lifting her leg so that her knee hovered right under his groin. "Let me go and I don't lift my knee that one inch needed to hit you where it hurts."

"That's low, Rory."

Her knee lifted, causing Jess to let go and get away from her instantly.

"Thank you." She got off the couch and smiled at Finn. "Hey."

"Hey, everything okay?" Finn asked.

"Perfect," Rory said.

"I'll be in my room," Jess said. "This isn't over, Gilmore."

Rory shrugged. "Empty promises, Mariano."

Jess rolled his eyes before going to his room, closing the door and blasting the stereo. Rory led Finn to the kitchen and got out a bottled water for him as she poured herself a mug of coffee.

"I don't know how you drink that stuff."

"You drink it too," Rory pointed out.

"Not like you, you inhale the stuff."

Rory shrugged. "While most babies had milk in their bottles, I had coffee."

Finn laughed as he unscrewed the cap of his water and took a drink.

"So did you talk to Steph?" Rory asked.

"Yep. Did you talk to Jess?"

"Yep, and he feels like a cheap idiot."

"I would assume so. Steph feels bad, but she's confused."

"I'm guessing she has the dilemma of having to choose?"

Finn shrugged. "The way she figured it was that she could see Jess and not get attached seeing as he was only staying the few weeks, then go back to teasing Colin, but secretly liking him. She never expected Jess to ask her to move with him."

"Jess has issues," Rory shrugged. "He speaks before thinking. Had he thought about it before saying it and not after, he wouldn't have said it in the first place, I don't think." Rory frowned and thought it over, causing Finn to laugh.

"I know what you mean, love."

"So did you have a good day?" Rory asked.

Finn shrugged. "Let's start with yours, then we'll go onto mine."

Rory looked at him before nodding. "Mine was fine, I talked to my dad."

"Really?"

"Hmm," Rory said taking a sip of coffee and nodding. "Yep, told him everything and I feel better. It's not going to fix my problems, Finn. Just because I talked to my dad doesn't solve my problems of trust or rejection. But it made me feel better."

"Good."

"Thank you."

"For what?" Finn asked confused.

"For talking me into talking to him. You might not think you did much, but you did a lot. I wouldn't have talked to him if it weren't for you. So thank you."

"You're welcome," Finn said.

"So what about your day?"

Finn took a drink of water before looking up at her with a slight smile. "I have a nephew."

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**_AN:_** You have got to love my endings! lol.

This chapter was fun to write, oddly enough. Hope you all enjoyed.

Next chapter will be the chapter my beta's been looking forward to! lol. My lips are sealed for all of you guys though. All I have to say is that it involves the youngsters and Kirk.

Also I was rereading all of this and I saw that I wrote that Sherry left Chris and Gigi, so let's pretend she didn't, hmm? I fixed that chapter to take that part out. So I'm sorry for that!

Please review!

Kassandra


	27. A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words

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Part 27: A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words

Rory sat in stunned silence as Finn took a drink of his water. She blinked and looked down at her coffee.

"Yeah, that was my reaction too."

"This was what was bugging you all yesterday?"

"Yep, Angela..." Finn sighed. "Maybe I should start at the beginning."

"Wait," Rory said, "This seems like a pie moment."

Finn watched amused as Rory got up from the counter and went over to the refrigerator taking out a pie. Closing the fridge with her hip she grabbed two forks from the kitchen drawer and napkins, then sat back down. She took the plastic top off the pie and handed him a fork and a napkin before gesturing to continue.

"Well, yesterday morning I called Angela and I went over to her house."

"So when I called you yesterday..."

"I was there. I was having lunch there and after some comments were shared, I found out that her son is James's son."

"Whoa."

"I was upset yesterday that no one had bothered to share this news, apparently I was the only one in the family that did not know that I had a nephew. So Logan and Colin picked me up."

"And you came here," Rory supplied.

"Right. Well, this morning, when I got back to my place, I slept for a few hours and decided that I was good enough to go pick up my car, so Logan took me. Right when I was getting in, Angela came out with Robbie."

"Robbie is her son?"

"Yes. And we got to talking and I understand why she couldn't tell me and why she pulled away at James's funeral."

"What happened?" Rory asked cutting off a piece of pie with her fork and putting it in her mouth.

"My bastard of a father paid Angela off to break all ties with our family."

"Why?"

"That, my dear, I still have no clue about. Angela is still baffled as to why my father had gotten angry over her being pregnant, let alone paid her off to not talk to me or my mother anymore." Finn shook his head as he put the piece of pie into his mouth.

"So I'm guessing you and Angela talked everything out?"

"Yep, she told me everything."

"That's good, Finn, you're one step closer to finding out what happened."

"A hell of a lot closer than I was a week ago," Finn said. He looked at her and gave a smile. "What are you doing tomorrow?"

"Nothing really, I was planning on going to Stars Hollow for a while, have lunch at the inn and hang out with Lexi. Why?"

"Well, I want to get to know Robbie more."

"That's understandable," Rory nodded.

"But I know nothing about kids," he admitted.

"You're lying." Rory laughed. "I've seen you with Lexi."

"I've only seen her twice."

Rory shook her head. "It's how you treat her, you treat her like a princess. You seem to have a way with kids, but on with what you were saying."

"Well, I told Angela that I'd like to spend some time with him, get to know him." He gave a laugh running a hand through his hair. "He's a shy kid, it takes him a while to get used to new people. So Angela suggested that I take him out tomorrow, just spend time with him."

"And?"

"And I told her that I have no idea about kids and if it were okay if maybe I hung out with Robbie during a day that you were with Lexi."

"And it's just pure coincidence that tomorrow I'm hanging with my sister, huh?"

Finn shrugged. "I might have heard something about it earlier. So what do you think?"

"I think that it's a great idea," Rory said. "We can all have lunch at the inn and hang out. I think Stars Hollow High has the petting zoo in town, or something to that effect. If Angela is okay with it and you're sure you want to hang out with me and my sister, by all means."

"Really?" Finn said hopefully.

"I'd love to meet him, Finn. I think he's going to become a big part of your life."

Finn gave a small smile. "He's the spitting image of James. I don't know why I didn't see it sooner."

She covered his hand with hers. "You are going to be a good uncle."

"Thanks, love."

"No problem." Rory cut off another piece of pie while keeping her hand on Finn's.

"Do you want me to pick you up or..."

"If you want," Rory said. "I was planning on going around ten."

"I'm picking him up at nine, get the guys to meet him, then I'll come and get you."

"Perfect," Rory said. "Oh, we are going to have so much fun tomorrow!"

"What are you doing tomorrow?" Jess asked walking into the kitchen. He eyed the pie on the counter and groaned. "Rory!"

"What?" Rory asked innocently.

"We bought that for tomorrow."

"Well, grab a fork and we'll finish it tonight," Rory said taking a bite, making Finn laugh.

Jess shook his head. "I'm good." He grabbed a beer out of the fridge and leaned on the counter. "So what are you doing tomorrow?"

"We're going to Stars Hollow."

Jess rolled his eyes. "I can't believe you actually enjoy living there."

Rory raised an eyebrow. "If I remember correctly, I got a phone call from you about a week after you got sent back to New York saying how much you missed it."

"You've got it wrong, babe," Jess said walking up to her. "I said I missed you. I would never miss the crazy town. Or Kirk's late night naked runs." Jess gave a shudder.

Rory stuck out her tongue in disgust. "Yeah, I definitely don't miss those."

"He runs naked?" Finn asked, a bit lost with the conversation.

Rory nodded. "He tends to have night terrors about assassins and since he sleeps naked, he runs out of the house and climbs buildings naked during the night. Which is why Taylor issued a nine o'clock curfew for kids and anyone that did not wish to see Kirk's naked ass."

Jess gave another shudder as he stole Rory's fork from her hand and grabbed a piece of pie. "Luke turned off my stereo when he saw I was asleep, every few nights I would get woken up by him screaming at the top of his lungs."

Rory nodded. "Then Luke and Taylor would try to get Kirk down but only end up fighting which would result in half the town..."

"Including you and your mom," Jess added.

"Watching them fight while Kirk screamed and fought off the 'assassins' with his pillow."

"Which would usually result in him 'fighting' a little too hard, causing him to roll off whatever roof he was on, giving everyone a nice view of his ass."

"Me and mom have pictures," Rory said enthusiastically.

Finn shook his head as he laughed. "You grew up in a weird town."

"Yeah, but I love it," Rory said with a smile. "It's never boring, that's for sure."

Finn gave a nod in agreement. Starting a relationship with one Rory Gilmore was never going to be boring. He thought that was definitely for sure. He smiled at the blue eyed girl that was laughing at a story that Jess had began telling and took another bite of the pie while listening for things he should expect for the next day.

****

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"So you're bringing him here?" Logan asked as Finn put on his coat.

"Yeah," Fin answered distractedly as he looked for his keys.

He had come back last night and told them everything that had happened. Though Logan and Colin had known the basic idea of Angela and her son, they had yet to get the full story. Now Finn was up early to go pick up his nephew so he could spend the day with him and get to know the five-year-old better.

"I'm just going to bring him here for a while. I have to pick up Rory at ten so that we can get to Stars Hollow. Where the hell are my keys?"

"Should we tell him he put them in his pocket about five minutes ago?" Colin whispered to Logan.

"Nah, this is fun," Logan said watching in amusement as Finn stood in the middle of the room scratching his head looking around, trying to remember where his keys were.

"So you're spending the day with Rory and Robbie?" Colin asked.

"And Rory's little sister Lexi."

"Right, and Angela's okay with this?" Logan asked.

"With what?" Finn asked, now confused at the turn of the conversation.

"With her son spending the day in a town he's never gone to and with a girl he's never met," Colin pointed out.

"I told her yesterday that I might ask Rory and her sister to join us. She said it was fine, just to have him back for dinner." Finn patted his pockets, feeling a slight bump he slid his hands in producing his keys. "When'd they get in there?"

"Seven minutes ago," Colin muttered, causing Logan to laugh.

Finn rolled his eyes. "I'll see you guys later."

"See ya," Logan and Colin chorused as they turned on the TV and began watching whatever was on.

Finn waked out of the apartment complex and went out to his car. He was nervous, he admitted to himself as he drove towards Angela's house. But he was also excited. He had a nephew. He still couldn't wrap his mind that Robbie was James's son. But it was exciting to think about it. The fact that he was related to something his brother and the person he had loved had produced. There was something so miraculous about that.

He wished he had known about Robbie and Angela sooner. To tell Robbie things about James that Angela couldn't have and now that he had the chance, he was excited about having it. He parked in front of the house and got out of the car, walking up the porch and knocking on the door.

"I hate you," Angela said as she answered the door.

"You never were a morning person," Finn smiled as she let him in.

"I can't believe I agreed to let you take him so early." She frowned. "And if I remember correctly, you were never a morning person either."

Finn shrugged. "Things change, love."

"Not that much," she gave him a teasing smile. "Awwww, is Finny excited!" She asked pinching his cheek.

Finn pulled away with a playful glare. "Maybe. Rory's really excited though."

"Really?"

Finn nodded. "She's probably planned the whole day."

Angela shook her head. "You are probably one of the most spontaneous guys I know. How did you end up with someone that plans things?"

Finn shrugged. "Lucky I guess." He looked at her more closely. Her long red hair was piled messily at the top of her head. She was wearing a light blue cotton tank top and her flannel pajama bottoms.

"Yeah, the Rothschild men were always lucky," she said smugly.

"Yeah, they are," he said agreeing with, causing her to smile at him.

"Robbie's excited, though it probably won't show. Wouldn't shut up about you last night."

"Really? He barely said a word to me yesterday."

"Like I said, he doesn't know you, but he's excited."

"I was wondering..."

"What?" Angela asked tilting her head to the side.

"Well, if I could tell him about James?" Finn asked shyly.

Angela smiled broadly. "Bret and I encourage you to talk about James," she shrugged. "I've told Robbie all about when I met him and a lot about him, but I think you're the only one that can share the other things. I'd love if you shared that."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome. I'll go get Robbie."

"Did you name him after James?" Finn asked randomly, causing Angela to stop and turn.

"No, James did."

"What?"

"When we found out I was pregnant he said he wanted James if it was a boy. I refused to add to his ego and name our son after him, so we agreed that if it was a boy, it would be Robert."

"And if had been a girl?"

"Falala," Angela stuck her tongue out. "He found it on some baby website and took a liking to it. Your brother always had a weird sense of humor."

"That he did," Finn laughed. "You're lucky it was a boy. Knowing James, had it been a girl, he would have told the nurse the name before you had a chance to protest..."

"Just to have his way. Sounds like someone else I know," she teased before turning again and going up the stairs. A few minutes later he watched as Angela came down the stairs holding Robbie's hand. He was wearing cargo shorts and a navy blue shirt, his brown hair tousled and a small backpack resting on his back.

"He hasn't eaten anything," Angela told him as she picked him up.

"I think we're going to eat around eleven. Are you allergic to anything?" Finn asked Robbie who shook his head.

"No," Angela answered. "But he hates lettuce."

Finn laughed. "Don't worry, my girlfriend isn't a fan of it either."

Angela smiled as they walked to his car. She couldn't resist teasing him. "Girlfriend, huh?"

Finn shrugged. "I'm not sure, but I like the sound of it."

"So what are the plans for today?" Angela asked.

"Well, Robbie has the pleasure of meeting the rest of the Stooges."

"Mo and Larry?" Robbie asked quietly.

Finn laughed. "Yes, but they liked to be called Logan and Colin."

"They're nice guys, Robbie," Angela said looking at her son as she put him down. "You'll like them." She watched as her son raised an eyebrow in her direction. "All right, they're weird as hell, but still really nice," she laughed.

"It's true," Finn agreed. "Then we'll pick up Rory, who I think you'll also like, she's nice. And she's going to take us to her hometown about half an hour away to have lunch at her mum's inn. Trust me, you'll have fun, mate."

Angela bent down and fixed Robbie's shirt. "Have fun and don't be afraid to ask Finn anything. Believe it or not, he's actually very smart, he just might not act it."

Finn rolled his eyes as he opened the door and let Robbie get in, letting him set the backpack on the floor and put on his seatbelt, before closing the door.

Angela stood up and looked at Finn. "You know, we have dinner at six if you and Rory want to join us..." Angela trailed off.

Finn smiled. "I'll ask."

"See you at six," Angela said kissing his cheek. She tapped the window and waved at Robbie. "Just a reminder, him not talking to you isn't a sign of dislike, it really does take a while for him to really open up."

"I'll be fine."

"All right," Angela shrugged as Finn went around and got in his car. He saw Angela wave once more before he pulled out and drove towards the apartments.

"So, do you like the zoo?" Finn asked, casting a glace at Robbie who was staring out the window. He turned to Finn and shrugged. "What's it going to take to get you to talk to me? I have five bucks in my wallet." He saw Robbie smile a bit before turning back to the window.

Robbie stared out the window as his uncle drove them towards his apartment. It wasn't that he didn't like his uncle. He thought he was pretty cool, in the odd sort of way. But he didn't know him. Though he was five years old, with his stepfather being a lawyer and his mother an English teacher, he was actually smarter than an average five-year-old.

He watched as they entered an underground parking complex. His uncle parked in an empty space and turned off the car. He got out and closed his door, going around and opening his.

"Come on, I swear I don't bite," he laughed. Robbie got out of the car as Finn grabbed his backpack. He grabbed his hand and Robbie had no choice but to follow his uncle as he led them to the front entrance, nodding at the doorman. Following him to the elevators he stood in the center of the elevator while Finn pushed fourteen.

"Logan and Colin are nice. They've been my best mates for years."

Robbie hesitated before looking up at his uncle and asking the question plaguing his mind. "Did my dad like them?" He whispered quietly.

Finn looked down at him in surprise. "Um.. yeah," he said. "James was very good friends with Logan and Colin."

The doors opened before them and Finn stepped out taking Robbie's small hand in his and leading him over to the apartment. He hesitated, then bent down to be eye level with Robbie.

"You have to do me a favor though."

Robbie tilted his head to the side, causing Finn to sigh. Looked like it was back to body movements.

"You have to promise not to repeat ANY of the words you hear Colin and Logan say. Promise?" Finn asked sticking out his pinkie, Robbie smiled and stuck his own out. Finn grabbed him and looked behind his back.

"Just making sure you're not crossing your fingers," Finn said as Robbie laughed. They intertwined their pinkies in promise. Finn stood back up and led him the rest of the way of the to the apartment.

"Give me the remote!" He heard Logan yell.

"Like hell!" Colin yelled back.

"Colin, I'm warning you!"

"Oh, I'm so afraid, what is the Huntzberger heir going to do, pay me off?"

"Why you little!" They heard thumping noise followed by yells.

"I swear they're nice guys," Finn said looking down at his nephew who looked up at him with a questioning glance. Taking his keys out of his pocket he unlocked the door and opened it, only to find Colin and Logan wrestling on the floor for the possession of the remote.

"Give it back!" Logan grunted as he elbowed Colin in the stomach.

"You're going to have to give up your black card before I give up the remote," Colin said, curling up in the fetal position with the remote close to his stomach as Logan tried to get it back.

"Oh, like that'll happen!" Logan said hitting Colin on the arm to get him to let go.

Finn gave a cough, causing both men to look up at them.

"Hey Finn," Colin said. He looked at the small kid holding his hand tightly. "Whoa, he looks just like James," Colin muttered getting up from his position on the floor to sit up and get a better look at the child.

"Shit," Logan muttered staring at him. "It's like that picture you have."

"Watch the language," Finn groaned. "And stop staring at him."

"Sorry," Colin and Logan muttered as they stood up.

Finn closed the door and let go of Robbie's hand letting him wonder around, but instead of immediately looking around, Robbie stayed where he was, moving his head slowly as if taking in the place.

"Are you casing the place?" Colin asked Robbie. "Cause if you are, all of Logan's valuables are under his bed."

Logan elbowed Colin in the gut, causing him to loosen his grip on the remote and giving Logan a chance to grab it.

"Thank you. And Robbie, if you act now, you can get Colin's wallet out of his back pocket once he hits the floor."

"Ass," Colin grunted as he fell onto the recliner.

"I swear they're good guys," Finn said setting down Robbie's backpack on the counter. "Take a seat, Robbie, I'm going to call Rory and see if she's ready to go."

Robbie gave a nod and went and sat down on the couch.

"I'm Logan," the blonde said. "That's Colin," he pointed to the brunette.

"We knew your dad..." Colin turned to Finn. "Can we say that?" He asked.

Finn frowned as he held the phone to his ear. "Say what?"

"Anything about James?" Logan asked.

"If you want," Finn said. "I'll be back. Rory?" Finn asked as he walked to his room. He left the door open and went under his bed.

"Hey Finn, Jess, back off!" Rory yelled. He heard Jess yell something back and Rory ignore him as she got back on the phone with him. "Hi."

"Hello love," he said, taking out a shoe box from under his bed. "Are you ready?"

Rory gave a laugh. "Almost, I just have to shower and change. Jess used all the hot water again. He's doing it to piss me off because he's not going anywhere today... Oh, shut up, Jess!" Rory yelled again. "But almost."

"All right, I have Robbie with me now... well, he's with Logan and Colin right now. We're starving."

"Give me about a half hour. The water should be warm now."

"All right. I'll see you in a bit, love."

"See you in a bit. Jess!" Rory yelled before hanging up. Finn gave a laugh before setting the phone on his bed and looking at the pictures in the shoebox.

"Hey Finn?" Colin asked. Finn looked up to see Colin standing there with Robbie next to him.

"Yeah, Colin?"

"To be frank, Robbie's starting to freak us out, he just stares and doesn't talk."

Finn shook his head. "Come on, Robbie, you can stay in here. Colin and Logan aren't used to quiet people."

"We live with you, Finn," Colin said. "There is never a quiet moment when living with you." Colin turned and went back to the living room. Robbie walked over to him and leaned against the bed.

"Have a seat," Fin said patting the floor.

Robbie cast a glance at the pictures on the floor and sat down next to his uncle.

"I thought maybe you'd like some of these," Finn told him. "Go ahead and look. We still have time before we have to go get Rory."

Robbie reached into the shoebox and got photos out beginning to look at them. They were mostly of his uncle and an older man. The older man he assumed must be his father.

"That's James," Finn said pointing to one of the pictures. It was of James leaning against his car with a smile on his face. "His car was his first love until your mum came along. You know, I think I may have one of your mum and James when they first met."

He watched as Finn went through the pictures. Catching glimpses of some, he saw that his father was mostly dressed in some sort of sport uniform. He frowned and stopped Finn as he was about to flip to the next picture to look at one.

"What's that?" Robbie asked quietly.

Finn smiled. "James used to play rugby in Australia, he taught me to play when I was about your age," Finn handed him the photo. "You can keep it if you want."

Robbie nodded and took the picture. He stared at it. His mother had always told him that he looked just like his father, but he had never realized just how much. The same dark brown tousled hair, the same green eyes and even the same smile.

"You do look like him, you know," Finn said looking at him. He looked over at his clock and stood up. "Come on, let's get going. Rory should be ready by now."

Robbie stood up clutching the picture in his hand. Finn looked at the pictures sitting on his floor before kneeling down and putting them all back in the box.

"How about this, you can take this box and look over them tonight," Finn said putting the cap on. "You can have any picture you want. I have enough memories and pictures of my brother. I think you should have them more than me," he said handing the box to his nephew. "James would have wanted you to know him."

"Thank you," Robbie whispered.

"You're welcome. Come on," Finn said messing up Robbie's hair even more and leading him out of the room. They walked to the living room where Logan and Colin were sitting, arguing over what to watch.

"We're going to get going. I'll be back later."

"See ya, Finn. Nice to meet you Robbie," Logan said as Finn grabbed Robbie's backpack.

"Bye guys," Colin called. "Now put on the news, Logan."

"Go get a girlfriend, Colin," Logan retorted as he switched the channel back to Buffy.

Finn rolled his eyes as he led Rory out of the apartment and towards the elevators. Robbie was clutching the photo box in his arms. Finn pushed the down button for the elevators and the doors opening immediately, then got in and he pressed ten.

"Rory's nice, nicer than Logan and Colin anyway. She's good with kids and semi-normal."

Robbie looked up at his uncle with an amused grin.

"Yeah, I know I said that about Logan and Colin. But you caught them on an off day. You're just lucky Paris isn't living with Rory anymore," Finn muttered as the door opened on the tenth floor.

They walked to Rory's apartment. He was about to knock when they heard a loud thump.

"What the hell was that for!" They Jess yell.

"That was for drinking all the coffee!" Rory shouted back.

"You didn't have to throw a vase at my head!"

"You drank all the coffee!"

They heard another thump, then Rory scream.

"Jess, let go!" She laughed. "Wait, no!"

Robbie looked up at his uncle who shrugged.

"I said semi-normal."

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A.N: Thank you to ohmss77 for telling me how to upload the other way! Thank you so much!

Hope you enjoyed!

Kassandra


	28. Havoc in Stars Hollow

_**Part 28: Havoc in Stars Hollow**_

"Let me just grab my purse!" Rory said as she opened the door and ran back into the apartment. "Hit me with water and you're dead, Mariano!" Rory yelled.

"Hey," Jess said standing in the middle of the living room with a hand behind his back. He was wearing jeans and nothing else. His hair was wet and sticking to his face. "I would just step back a few feet," he told them.

"Jess, I mean it!" Rory said as she stood behind the wall so that Jess wouldn't hit her.

"I swear, Rory, I won't hit you."

"That's what you said last time. I mean it. I've changed four times! And I don't have time to dry my hair again."

"I promise I have nothing."

Finn and Robbie watched in confusion as Rory looked around that wall she was standing against as Jess smirked.

"See, I told you."

"I want to see both hands, Jess," Rory said.

"That's not possible," Jess smirked.

"Finn?" Rory said. "Does he have anything in his hands?"

He looked over at Jess's smirking face and then turned back to Rory. "Not that I can see, love."

Rory nodded and stepped out from against the wall, only to have Jess launch the water balloon he had in his hand at her, hitting her on the chest and getting her wet.

"JESS!"

"It was an accident!" Jess said. "It slipped!"

Rory looked at a laughing Finn and noticed the little boy who was clutching a shoebox to his chest. "I'm going to go change yet again, I'll be out in a minute." She turned and walked back to her room, closing the door.

"So how did all this start?" Finn asked with a laugh.

"Careful where you step," Jess warned. "We covered a lot of the apartment in water."

"We'll just stand here," Finn said.

"And to answer your question, I drank the rest of the coffee and Rory hit me with a plastic vase that had flowers and water. Then I poured my water on her, then we took it into the kitchen where I grabbed the sink nozzle, then we started with water balloons that she bought for Lexi a few weeks ago. And it turned into a war zone."

"I swear I'm normal," Rory said coming out of her room and pulling on her Yale sweatshirt, her hair now in a bun at the top of her head. She grabbed her bag and glared at Jess. "You started this, you clean up."

"Excuse me?" He asked with wide eyes.

"You drank my coffee, you started the water fight."

"You threw the vase."

"You drank my coffee," she accused. "I have the carpet cleaners' number on the pad next to the phone. They know me by name," Rory said grabbing her keys and cell phone. "They also know my mom, say both our names and we'll get it done for cheaper."

"I don't even want to know why," Jess said, just as he was about to sit on the couch.

"Do not even think about sitting down, Jess. I've had to replace my couch three times because of Doyle and Paris. I don't want to replace this one because your wet ass couldn't dry itself off."

"One, thanks for the visual and two, can you say anal?"

"Ten times fast," Rory said. "I'll be back later."

"Yeah, see ya."

She kissed his cheek and patted his shoulder. "Good game, soldier."

"Good game," Jess agreed as he went to his room and started blasting his music, which had become a ritual now. Rory shook her head and crossed the soaking wet carpet to get to Finn.

"Hey," she said kissing him softly.

"Hey," he said, then looked down at a smiling Robbie. "This is Robbie, my nephew."

Rory got down to his level and smiled. "I swear I'm somewhat normal, you just might not see it today. You see, we are visiting a town that's only an hour away, but really you're stepping into a whole new world of craziness you'll never believe. You will see things that you would have never thought possible. Are you ready for that?"

Robbie looked up at Finn who winked, then back at the blue eyed woman before nodding.

"Great. My name is Rory, what's yours?" She asked, even though she already knew it. She hoped she could coax a word out of him.

Robbie bit his lip looking at her before replying quietly. "Robbie."

"Well, Robbie, let's get going, the craziness usually ends at twelve," she teased standing up and leading them out of the apartment. She was about to close the door when she smiled and couldn't resist calling out to Jess.

"Hey Jess!" She yelled.

Jess walked out of his room. "Yeah?"

"I borrowed your razor. I like the way yours works on my legs," she said.

"Rory!" he groaned.

"I left it on the sink. I cleaned it and everything." She walked out and closed the door. "Wait for it..." she said.

"RORY!" Jess yelled.

Rory laughed and walked towards the elevators with Finn and Robbie. As the elevator opened, Jess ran out in to the hallway, even more wet than he was earlier.

"RORY!"

"Payback's a bitch, Jess. Deal with it." She walked in and closed the elevator's door, cutting off Jess's explicit response. She turned to Robbie and Finn who were both wearing amused grins.

"Really big water balloon," she explained, remembering how long it had taken her to place it just right, above the bathroom door. Yep, definitely worth it. When they got down to the lobby, they debated on which car to take, deciding on Rory's seeing as hers actually had a backseat.

Rory drove away from New Haven and started to Stars Hollow.

"The high school at my town brought in a small petting zoo," Rory told Robbie, eyeing him through the mirror. "My sister Lexi, she's about three, she's really excited about it."

Robbie just stared out the window. She noticed that his hand was over the shoebox he had been carrying.

"What's in the box?" Rory asked quietly, causing Finn to turn.

"Pictures I had of James. I gave them to Robbie, so he could look through them."

"That was sweet, Finn," Rory said, moving her hand to take his.

Finn shrugged and looked out the window, causing Rory to smile. Robbie and Finn were a lot a like, she only wondered how long it would take one or the other to open up to each other.

Most of the car ride was spent in silence, the radio quietly playing in the background. She parked in front of her childhood home and sighed.

"Home sweet home," she said getting out, Finn and Robbie followed. "You can leave the stuff in the car," she told Robbie as he started getting out the box of pictures. He looked at Finn for confirmation. Finn smiled.

"Here's what we'll do," Finn said taking the box. He bent down and put it under the seat. "That way no one will take it."

Robbie smiled, it was like his uncle just knew what he meant without any words. That was cool. Finn closed both doors and took Robbie's hand.

"Let me go check if anyone's at home. If not, they're probably at the inn," Rory said going up the porch and opening the unlocked door. Finn stood in front of the house, leaning against the car, with Robbie at his side.

This was the first time he had been to Rory's childhood home. When she had gotten divorced, they had gone to Luke's and to her apartment, then back to New Haven. There hadn't been much time to really get a tour.

"All right, off to the inn we go," Rory said stuffing a piece of paper in her jeans pocket. She smiled at both of them. Instinctively Finn grabbed her hand, causing her to smile and lead them off.

He liked seeing her happy, he realized. He liked seeing that smile on her face as she talked about her town and family. She acted like a child, he noticed, and he really liked that about her.

"Lexi is at the inn, helping Sookie with lunch," Rory explained . "So we can either have a wonderful lunch at the inn that was prepared by Sookie or an equally fabulous lunch at Luke's. Which do you prefer?"

Finn looked at Robbie who was looking around the town, not really paying attention. "The inn is fine, love," Finn said.

"All right. But I got to warn you, Sookie usually outdoes herself when I come home, so be prepared to eat."

They walked the dirt road that led to her mother's inn with Rory telling them how hard her mom had worked to get the inn exactly how it was. They walked up to the porch and into the inn, Rory walked up to the counter and smiled at the man behind it.

"Hey Michel," Rory said in a singsong voice. "Did you miss me?"

"No," he said simply.

"Come on, admit it, you missed me!"

"No, I did not. The counter is for guests and you are not a guest."

"I have reservations," Rory said. "See, it's right here, under F - 'Fruit of my Loins'."

Michel slapped her hand and glared. "Do not touch the reservation book."

"It's _my_ mom's inn."

"And it's _my_ reservation book."

"Rory, leave Michel alone, he's cranky today," Lorelai said walking over to them. "Aren't you, Michel?" She asked in a baby voice while pinching his cheeks.

"Leave. Me. Alone," Michel told them while glaring at Lorelai.

"Woke up on the wrong side of the bed?" Rory asked. "'Cause, you know, I've done that. I usually get out on the right side, but when I get out on the left side, my whole day is ruined, you know. It's like the whole order of my day just went down the drain, you know what I mean."

Michel glared at her before picking up his reservation book and stalking out from behind the counter, disappearing upstairs, muttering about annoying devil's children under his breath.

"That is too much fun," Rory said as her mother laughed.

"Oh, you only do it once a week, it's much more fun when you work with him." Lorelai looked behind Rory and saw Finn holding the hand of a small boy who was looking around. "Hey Finn."

"Hello Lorelai," Finn said with a smile.

"And who are you?" Lorelai asked, looking down at Robbie. He looked up at Lorelai and practically hid behind Finn's legs.

"This is my nephew Robbie," Finn introduced.

"I'm Lorelai, Robbie, it's nice to..." Lorelai was cut off by a loud crash and an explosion coming from the kitchen. "Oh, that's not good."

Rory watched amused as Lexi came running out of the dining room, in a chef's hat and mini apron and launched herself into Lorelai's arms, hugging her neck.

"I didn't do it," were the first words out of Lexi's mouth.

"Yeah, babe," Lorelai laughed, "I know." Lorelai stood up and detached herself from her daughter. "Stay here with your sister and I'll go check on Sookie. You guys take a seat in the dining room."

"Thanks, mom."

"No problem, kid." Lorelai kissed her cheek before rushing off to the kitchen to see what the damage was.

"Come on, guys," Rory laughed as she led them all to the dining room. They took the seats at one of the corner tables near the window that was able to seat four. "Lexi, you remember Finn, right?"

"Yep," she said smiling at him.

"Well, this is Finn's nephew Robbie," Rory said.

"Hi!" Lexi said happily. "My name's Lexi, Rory is my sister."

Robbie stared at the young girl with wide eyes.

"Yeah," he heard Rory say, causing him to look at her. "Her perkiness will take some time to get used to."

Robbie smiled and looked at the young girl who was bouncing in her seat. She _was_ hyper.

"All right." Robbie looked up to see Rory's mom standing at the table. "Your lunch is ready, but half the kitchen is fried."

"Is Sookie okay?"

"She'll need a few stitches... maybe a cast. The usual," Lorelai shrugged. "Lunch will be out soon."

"Hey Mom, is the SHH fair still in town?" Rory asked.

"Yeah, but see, Lexi is on probation," Lorelai said, her hand going to her rounding belly.

"What do you mean?" Finn asked.

"She might have fed the monkey something that caused the monkey to go to the hospital. He's all right now. But Lexi has been put on Taylor Probation."

Rory looked at her sister who was smiling innocently. "We'll keep an eye on her."

Lorelai shrugged. "Whatever. As long as Luke doesn't blame me, we're good," she stuck her tongue out and weaddled back to the kitchen.

"So you almost killed the monkey again, didn't you?" Rory asked with a sigh.

"Again?" Finn asked.

"She tried to kill him last year by throwing her baseball that dad had given her at the monkey's head, but she's a Gilmore and her aim sucks. This is about her fourth attempt."

"What has the monkey ever done to you?" Finn asked.

"He's old," Lexi explained.

"So you want to put him out of his misery by assassinating him?" Finn asked.

"Assa… assassin?" Lexi asked confused.

"Kill him," Rory explained.

"Ohhh, yes," she smiled at Finn who laughed. The waiter brought out their lunch, and they ate while trying to get Lexi to explain her dislike for the old monkey, and Robbie to be a bit more active in the conversation.

"So how was it?" Lorelai asked as they got their dishes cleared.

"It was delicious, Lorelai," Finn said. "Best I've had."

"I taught him that," Rory laughed looking at her mother.

"You've taught him well," Lorelai nodded. "I'll go get you guys some more coffee."

"Thanks, mom," Rory said as she left. She turned back to the group only to be intercepted by a hand on her shoulder. She looked up and saw Kirk standing next to her. "Hey Kirk."

"Rory," Kirk nodded.

"Did you need something, Kirk?" Rory asked.

Kirk removed his hand and nodded. "Lulu works today and she told me to go entertain myself, and go to the petting zoo at the high school."

"All right," Rory nodded.

"And I heard from Luke that you and Lexi were going down there today too."

"Yeah, I'm going with Finn and his nephew Robbie," Rory corrected.

"Well, if you want, I can take Lexi and Robbie with me."

Rory bit her lip. "I don't know, Kirk..."

"Please Rory!" Lexi begged standing in her chair "PLEASE!"

"Yeah, please Rory!" Kirk begged.

Rory turned to Finn who shrugged with a smile. "Your call," he told her.

Rory sighed. "Fine."

"YES!" Kirk and Lexi both cheered.

"But Kirk, you have got to promise not to get Lexi anywhere near the monkey cage."

"I promise, cross my heart, hope to die. I won't stick a needle in my eye... seeing as I'm afraid of needles, they remind me of David Blaine, that guy freaks me out."

"Right," Rory nodded as Lexi jumped off her chair and went around the table to Robbie's end.

"Come on!" Lexi said grabbing his hand and pulling him out of the chair. Robbie looked over at his uncle who shrugged.

"Your choice, you either go with Lexi and the crazy man or you stay here while me and Rory talk about school."

Robbie grabbed on to Lexi's hand and let her pull him over to Kirk's side. He watched Rory talk to Kirk, then give Lexi a warning glance.

"You go anywhere near those monkey cages when Taylor is around, dad will be very, very mad."

"It's fun to see daddy mad," Lexi laughed.

"No, it's fun to see him irritated, not mad," Rory told her as she pulled out some cash and handed it to Kirk. "Get them what they want, Kirk."

"And if I run out of money?" Kirk asked.

Finn pulled out his wallet and gave him a fifty. "Go crazy."

"Meet us at the house at four," Rory said. Kirk nodded and looked at the kids.

"You got it, Rory," Kirk said putting the money in his pocket and grabbing Lexi's hand who was holding on to Robbie's. "Come on, guys, let's go see some pigs!"

"No! Monkeys first!" Lexi yelled as she pulled Robbie along.

"You sure they'll be okay?" Finn asked looking worriedly at Kirk as they left the inn.

"Kirk's harmless... to anybody except himself," Rory laughed as she sat back down.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

Robbie looked at the sheep in interest. Kirk and Lexi were behind him, getting cotton candy while he had stayed to feed the animals. He smiled when he felt the sheep's nose hit the palm of his hand while it ate the lettuce from his hand.

"See, isn't this better than Rory and Finn?" Kirk asked as he walked towards him. Robbie let go of the lettuce once the sheep had it firmly in its mouth and reached up for his cotton candy.

"Thank you," he said quietly as he followed them to another pen, his cotton candy in one hand and the bag of vegetables for the animals in the other.

"Kirk!" Lexi said pulling on his shirt. "I want a stuffed animal."

"All right, let's go to the booths and see what we can win," Kirk said as he took hold of her hand. She grabbed on to Robbie's wrist and pulled him along. Kirk stopped in front of the 'Test Your Strength" booth and let go of Lexi's hand to grab the large mallet.

Lexi and Robbie watched as he hit the pad, only to have the weight rise less than half. Lexi smiled at Robbie before she led him away from the booth and towards another place.

"Lexi, I think..." Robbie started, only to have the three-year-old cut him off.

"Kirk is busy! We go to monkeys now!"

"But Rory..."

"Rory said not to go to the monkey cages when Taylor was around." She stopped walking and looked around the crowded zoo, "Do you see Taylor?"

"I don't know what Taylor looks like," Robbie told her.

"There you go," she laughed as she pulled him toward the monkey cages, leaving Kirk behind to continue 'testing his strength'.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

"He's quiet," Rory said as they sat on the porch swing, her head resting on Finn's shoulder, the feet resting underneath her body as he pushed the swing with his feet.

"Angela says he has trouble trusting strangers. He's like Angela that way, the first time I talked to her took me by surprise, it was a year after she had met James."

"She seems really nice."

"That reminds me, what are you doing for dinner?"

Rory shrugged as she sat up to look at him. "Probably eat whatever Jess makes and watch some movies. I have to finish a paper too."

"Well, Angela was wondering if you'd have dinner with us tonight. She wants to meet you."

Rory smiled. "I'd love to, Finn."

"Great. You'll like her, Rory, and I know she'll love you."

Rory looked at him curiously. "You really want this to work, don't you?"

"What to work?" Finn asked confused.

"This, us, me meeting Angela and Angela liking me."

"Are we an 'us'?"

Rory shrugged. "I don't know. We never really talked about it."

Finn nodded. "Well, you know what I want, now it's up to you to decide on what you want. You don't have to give me an answer now, but just know it's up to you."

"That's a lot on my shoulders," Rory whispered.

"It's only a yes or a no, love. Only a yes or a no."

"Easy for you to say," she laughed.

"RORY!" Rory looked up and saw Taylor walking towards the house, holding the collar of Robbie's shirt in one hand and the collar of Lexi's shirt in the other.

"Oh..." Rory said standing up. "Hey Taylor," she greeted as she leaned against the railing of the porch. "What can I do for you today?"

"Would you like to know what your sister did today with that hoodlum boy?" Taylor asked letting them go. They ran up the porch and sat on the porch swing with Finn who was watching in amusement.

"No, not really, but I know you're going to tell me anyhow."

"Darn right I am, your sister killed the monkey!"

Rory sighed as she turned towards her sister. "What did I tell you about the monkeys?"

"You said not to go near the cage when Taylor was there... Taylor wasn't there till after the monkey ate the cotton candy."

"That monkey had been with the Stars Hollow petting zoo for forty years, Rory!" Taylor yelled.

"Yeah, the monkey scared me when I was a kid," Rory told him. "Taylor, they're kids, they didn't know what they were doing."

"Actually..." Robbie began before Finn covered his mouth.

"Now probably isn't the time to start talking," he whispered. Robbie nodded and kept his mouth shut.

"Come on, Taylor," Rory said with a roll of her eyes.

"Lexi is banned from the zoo, Rory. Now and forever," Taylor said walking away.

"Don't you think you're being a bit dramatic, Taylor!" Rory yelled after him, causing him to turn angrily.

"She killed the monkey, Rory!" Taylor yelled, his face turning a nice shade of red.

"She's tried to do it four times in a row, not that I'm applauding her for finally succeeding, but they were with Kirk..." Rory frowned and turned to the two children who were giggling on the swing. "You left Kirk, didn't you?"

"At the 'Test Your Strength' booth," Robbie answered while laughing.

Rory sighed and turned back to Taylor. "Kirk was supposed to be watching them, Taylor."

"Yes, well, Kirk's been kicked out as well... he hit the Test Your Strength man when he didn't win," Taylor muttered. "Just keep your sister and that hooligan out of the petting zoo, Rory, I mean it."

"I know you do, Taylor, I'll keep a close eye on her."

Taylor turned again and left while Rory turned back to her sister and the 'hooligan' sitting next to her.

"How is it that you've been here no more than two hours and you've been named a hooligan?" Rory asked Robbie who smiled.

"She used my cotton candy," Robbie laughed causing Lexi into a fit of giggles and Finn to chuckle lightly. Rory sat down on the swing and brought Lexi onto her lap and looked at her as she laughed.

"So you finally killed the monkey, huh?"

Lexi looked at Robbie and they both started laughing again.

"Looks like Robbie found a friend," Finn told her.

"Looks like," Rory smiled looking at the two kids.

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

They walked up the porch, dressed for dinner. Finn knocked on the door while Rory got to Robbie's level and smiled at him.

"I was wondering if you could do me a favor."

"Sure," Robbie said looking at his uncle who smiled at him.

"I really want your mom to like me, so I was wondering if you wouldn't say anything about what you and Lexi did at the zoo after you ditched Kirk."

Robbie looked back up at his uncle who was looking rather amused before looking at Rory and nodded.

"Sure."

"Pinkie promise?" Rory asked sticking out her pinkie. Robbie nodded as he interlaced his pinkie with hers.

"Thanks," Rory said standing up just as the door opened.

"Hey guys," Angela greeted as she let them in. She smiled at her son and got down to his level.

"Hey little man, how was your day with your uncle?" She asked.

"We got kicked out of the zoo!" Robbie said before running towards the living room.

"What?" Angela asked in surprise while Rory responded with a groan.

Finn laughed as he took off his coat. "You should have checked for crossed fingers, love."

"Darn, I always forget about those!"

_**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**_

**_AN:_** Next chapter will be the dinner between everyone. It's a chapter I've been wanting to write forever.

_**Go To My Blog For An Important Message!**_

Hope you all enjoyed, leave reviews! I love them!

Kassandra


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